Asia's first Radisson Blu opens in Cebu

The rapid and dynamic expansion and development of businesses in the travel trade has kept its top executives in constant change and movement.   

In Cebu, the changing of the guard in the very first Radisson Blu brand in the Asia-Pacific region catapulted Australian Lyle Lewis to its new general manager and concurrent vice president positions in the Philippines and Japan of Carlson Hotels, and designated its good-natured former GM Grant Gaskin, who was responsible for its pre-opening and highly successful launch, to the plum role of opening another prime Radisson property in Wuxi, China.

In the recent “Hail and Farewell” festivities at the Niña Ballroom, which was hosted by director of sales and marketing Anna Fernandez, Gaskin turned over the hotel’s symbolic key to Lewis.

Gaskin, in his heartfelt speech, recalled the warm memories of his tenure at the property highlighting the teamwork and cooperation among management and staff.

Lewis, a seasoned hotelier with more than 30 years of extensive operational and hotel management experience, comes to Cebu fresh from his groundbreaking achievements of propelling the growth and enhancing the operational performance of 10 existing Asian-based hotels and the ongoing development of 11 hotels, which include the Radisson Blu in the Asia-Pacific region.

SM executives together with key society figures, corporate honchos, and select members of the media personally bid farewell to Gaskin and extended Cebuano hospitality to Lewis.

Radisson Blu Cebu’s executive committee members, assistant manager Zenaida Alcantara, assistant marketing director Romina Gervacio, finance director Carmela Cabasisi, human resources director Belle Bacus, F&B director Ho Kok Fai, and Italian executive chef Marco Amarone showed their support and gestures of goodwill to both Gaskin and Lewis.

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A fortnight later, well-wishers and friends threw a farewell party for Silkair’s outgoing general manager Ajish Henry Morris and then warmly welcomed incoming GM Chandran Menon to the Cebu Marriott Hotel.

Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner that featured Asian cuisine.

On behalf of the Cebu Tours and Travel Association, Cecile Sa-a of Blue Horizons Travel and Alan Carvajal of Travelways International presented a handbook of the Philippine islands to Morris that would serve as a remembrance of his two-year stint in Cebu, while an intricately hand-embroidered barong tagalog was given to Menon.

In his brief farewell remarks, Morris, who will assume his post as manager of Silkair in Myanmar, took the opportunity to thank each and everyone who made his stay fruitful, fun and unforgettable. Menon, who has held various appointments in Singapore Airlines from 1980 to 1996,including overseas postings as GM in Papua New Guinea, India, Indonesia, and Singapore, pledged continued support to the stakeholders of the travel industry.