The finalists have now been announced for the prestigious Stelliers Awards for Greater China 2023, honouring the most exceptional hoteliers of the past year across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The front-runners in 21 categories were unveiled on August 25 for the hotel industry’s most important annual awards recognising the professional excellence of the region’s hoteliers.
A total of 103 finalists will now proceed to the finals of Stelliers, being staged this year in Macau in December.
Now in its 10th edition, Stelliers prides itself on providing true recognition to the talented and hardworking professionals that breathe life into a hotel, while also inspiring the younger generation to join this ever-growing and important industry. The awards have evolved to become an important and eagerly awaited annual celebration that acknowledges individuals across every department who are making a real difference in their respective hotels, particularly during recent challenging times as the industry continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic. As dedicated hospitality professionals from across Greater China continue to raise the bar, breaking boundaries and achieving new heights, Stelliers applauds their excellence and inspiration to the wider hotelier community.
Recognition extends across food & beverage, chef, mixologist-sommelier, hotel manager, wellness & spa, front office, concierge, engineering and finance, to housekeeping, human resources, information technology, hygiene and food safety, marketing & communications, sales, revenue, owner representative and ESG achievements within a CSR/green category. The list also encompasses hotly contested senior positions within the categories of General Manager and Corporate Hotelier, while nominations for the ‘unsung hero’ category also acknowledge the valuable but often overlooked contributions of staff working behind the scenes, such as doormen, wardrobe and security staff.
Finalists this year include eight candidates for the competitive General Manager of the Year award – Dany Lützel from Hotel Éclat Beijing, Davis Zhegang Rao from The Universal Studios Grand Hotel, Kristina Snaith-Lense from The Upper House, Hong Kong, Melissa Tang from Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, Richard Langonné from Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing, Chris Roberts from Doubletree by Hilton
This year’s judging panel includes renowned M Restaurant Group founder Michelle Garnaut, Condé Nast Traveler China’s editor-in-chief Shawn Ong, Marriott International’s former Greater China vice president for luxury Rainer Burkle, Oracle Hospitality’s Greater China general manager Kitty Huang, and CITS American Express Global Business Travel vice president and general manager Kevin Tan.
Regarding this year’s competition and finalist announcement, “the present trend focuses on seeking a balance between hiring and achieving more profitable business levels, while elevating the standard of guest services,” Stelliers judge Rainer Burkle explained, “clearly, the
recalibration of all operations after the pandemic primarily occupies the forefront activities for our hotel leaders now.”
“Considering the lingering manpower shortages and, no less importantly, the training deficits in many cases, the human resources teams, general managers and department heads are primarily concerned about how to effectively attract younger individuals and those undergoing career changes; individuals possessing diverse skillsets, who are now entering the hotel business with a vision of a brighter future in our beautiful industry. The effort to infuse a personal touch into extended services continues, even as fewer resources are available in parallel. Technology bridges the gap and can enhance efficiency in hotel logistics, especially behind the scenes, while keeping the customer as the focal point of all endeavours.”
“Now, more than ever, owners play an important part in effectively supporting General Managers and their teams by reinvesting in the business, thereby creating opportunities to achieve measurably superior returns – often accomplished through innovations that yield higher service results.”
Partners supporting the Stelliers Awards this year include Danone’s premium beverage brand evian and hospitality specialist PR agency GHCAsia.
For more details on attending this year’s glittering event in person in December 2023, please visit www.stelliers.com.
