Bai Hotel’s Alfred Reyes takes reins at HRRAC

CEBU, Philippines —  The Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) has elected Bai Hotel vice president and general manager Alfred Reyes as the new president taking in responsibilities amid the most challenging times.

A seasoned hotelier, Reyes vowed to continue and expand HRRAC’s programs and advocacies during the leadership of Cebu Grand Hotel general manager Carlo Suarez.

In an interview with Reyes, he said the entire hospitality and restaurant industry in Cebu will mount a series of programs and advocacies to aid businesses here that are now struggling to survive while travel arrivals are still on its lowest level.

He said Cebu is on to an aggressive move to push for opening of more international flights, considering that foreign visitors play important role in the tourism industry in general.

A graduate of Hospitality Management degree from the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) and a recipient of the Certificate in General Manager’s Program from the world-renowned Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Reyes worked his way starting from the ranks when he first joined Cebu Plaza Hotel in 1988.

With a positive outlook and tenacity in his field of expertise in Sales and Marketing as well as Operations, Reyes moved out of Cebu to be part of the bigger players in the hospitality industry in Manila like Hyatt, The Westin Philippine Plaza, The Bayview Park Hotel and The Pan Pacific Hotel.

In 1999 Reyes came back to Cebu to join Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino as General Manager and later joined properties in the Asia-Pacific region with stints in Grand Formosa Regent Taipei of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the 1,180-guest room Jakarta Hilton.

But home beckoned and Reyes was more than happy to return to the Philippines in 2003 as General Manager for The Linden Suites Manila under Swiss-Belhotel International (Hongkong).

In 2017, Reyes joined Luckheart Development and Management Corporation, the developer of Bai Hotel to manage the 668-room hotel located in the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City.

Last week, Reyes was formally inducted as HRRAC new president, joined by the group’s new set of officers.

Undersecretary for Tourism Development Honorable Roberto Alabado III graced the event and led the induction of the newly-elected board members.

Along with Reyes is the new set of HRRACI officers namely; Executive Vice-President - Brian Connelly (General Manager, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu), VP Hotels - Mia Leon (General Manager, Quest Hotel & Conference Center Cebu), VP Resorts - Colleen Barcelona (Human Resource Manager, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa), VP Restaurants - Brian Noel (General Manager, Casa Verde), VP Allied Suppliers - Michael Sharpe (President, Krumble Trading Inc.), VP Academe - Grayfield Bajao (Dean, College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Mandaue), Treasurer - Juvy Ikeuchi (Owner, Kukai’s Group of Companies), Corporate Secretary - Carmela Malagar (Managing Director, CGM Hotel Consultancy), Board of Trustees - Domiku Ugarte (Assistant General Manager, Bluewaters Maribago), Raki Urbina (Corporate Chef and Managing Director, Laguna Group of Companies), Carlo Anton Suarez (General Manager, Cebu Grand Hotel), Jonathan Nowell (General Manager, JPark Island Resort & Waterpark Cebu), Hanky Lee (Innkeeper, Henry Hotel Brand), Joseph Descallar (President, Asian College of Technology), and Didier Belmonte (General Manager, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan).