Best Western’s Glenn de Souza, seen here with his wife Lorna, says he gets great satisfaction from working in different countries, travelling and exploring the different cultures.

Best Western’s vice president Glenn de Souza talks about travel and accommodation.

BEST Western vice president (International Operations – Asia & Middle East), Glenn de Souza has had 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, and still counting.

He was a relatively late starter in the hospitality industry, only signing up at the “ripe” old age of 28.

“Prior to that, I was in the airline industry for nine years when I was encouraged by a friend to join. It was one of the best bits of advice I’ve ever received! Since then, I’ve never looked back,” relates de Souza who is now in his 60s.

This Singaporean of Portuguese descent took his first position with the sales and marketing department at the Holiday Inn Singapore. He found it a challenge, having had no exposure in the industry, but he soon worked his way up to the post of regional sales and marketing manager, before joining the operations side.

“I was lucky that I had a very good German mentor to introduce me to the trade. I think it’s vital that all hotel executives have an understanding of hotel operations.”

In de Souza’s long career, he has been stationed in Malaysia, Hong Kong and now Bangkok, Thailand (the regional headquarters of Best Western, one of the largest hotel chains in the world). He often travels in his capacity, and was in Iraq to sign Best Western’s first two properties there.

Yes, they need hotels in Iraq too!

He joined Best Western courtesy of a colleague who worked there more than 10 years ago, and has been in his present position since 2005. According to de Souza, he gets great satisfaction from working in different countries, and travelling and exploring the various cultures.

The changes in the industry, he notes, have been incredible.

“I never believed the trade was simply about putting ‘bodies in beds’, and the level of guest knowledge is so much greater nowadays. They know what they want and expect to receive it. The dawn of the Internet has enabled customers to gain a deeper understanding of what is available and what they can expect.”

These, he says, makes competition so much fiercer than before, as the variety of choices available to the consumer – in terms of hotels, destinations, booking options and so on – is virtually limitless.

“This trend is just as acute in Malaysia as it is anywhere in the world – perhaps more so, due to Malaysia’s buoyant tourism sector and rising number of tech-savvy travellers.”

And technology, says de Souza, is the single biggest influence in the history of the hotel industry. He adds that customers now have a huge number of booking channels to choose from, and social media has changed the landscape in terms of sharing opinions and ideas.

“Mobile apps offer the perfect way to ensure customers can book any time, while Facebook booking engines also help convert online friends into guests.”

So utilising all this, de Souza feels, is key for hoteliers. But he notes that they are also coming under pressure from rising labour and development costs, increasing competition and environmental issues.

Here de Souza shares his own expectations, experiences and tips regarding the hospitality industry.

What do I need to look for when entering a hotel?

Ambience, staff attitude, courtesy, cleanliness and efficiency – all these aspects are important on entering a hotel. Convenience comes in many forms, but nowadays a fast and free Internet connection is the most important. Best Western offers complimentary Internet at all of our hotels.

On your own vacation, how much of time do you spend in the hotel and what do you normally do in it?

I spend very little time in a hotel. I’d rather explore the destination and see the sights. In the hotel, it’s normally breakfast, use swimming pool and spa, and the bar for a quiet evening drink.

What’s the the best experience you have ever had in a hotel? And the worst experience?

Being recognised as a hotelier and professional traveller; arriving at a destination and not being met by the hotel services after all pre-arrangements were confirmed.

What was the best compliment a guest has ever given about the property you were employed in?

What an improvement in standards and services since you have taken over.

What is the funniest request a guest has ever made?

Can I bring my dog to the restaurant?

What is the most surprising request a guest has ever made?

Can my dog swim in the pool? Do hotels need to cater to travellers with pets?

I believe that travellers with pets need to be better catered for. I am a dog owner myself, but it is often very difficult to travel with my pets. However, I have noticed this changing, with more pet-friendly hotels opening in the world.

What are your pet peeves about travelling – airlines/aiports, etc?

Pre-boarding for all the airlines I fly with regularly and extensively is always a disaster as most carriers don’t have a proper boarding system to differentiate the different class of travel. The time spent at airports, from check-in and security, to customs and immigration and landing forms, to misinformation by staff, are indeed frustrating and bothersome.

What’s your advice to guests in terms of preparation to make sure their hotel stay is the best it can be?

Just travel light and travel smart! Also, make sure that your hotel knows all your requests in advance, and make sure you get confirmation. When booking a hotel, you should try to get a variety of different opinions from social media sites such as Facebook and TripAdvisor.

What should be on a traveller’s checklist before departing?

Just make sure you have your passport, credit cards and local currency. Everything else can be bought at the destination, although a plug adaptor comes in handy.

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