IN 2010, a Category 2 hurricane hit the island country of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.
The storm devastated half the island and left 30 people dead. There were landslides and mudslides everywhere, making roads impassable and the airport inaccessible.
The situation was horrific. What if one was working in a hotel filled with 450 guests when this happened? French national Xavier Masson didn’t just survive this ordeal, but had to work with a team of just 30 people to take care of the property and its guests, who were all on full board meals for one week. As luck would have it, the general manager at the resort was away. The few employees present did their best to manage the resort and guests in isolation for 10 days. It was an incredible lesson in crisis management and calamity preparation.
This experience is one of many in Xavier’s 15 years in the hotel industry. After graduating from catering and hospitality management from the Alexandre Dumas school in Illkirch, Strasbourg, he worked as a management trainee in the Hilton Strasbourg. His work has taken him to locations as varied as London, Moorea in French Polynesia and Kenya, continuing to work with the Hilton brand as well as the Intercontinental and independent properties. After a year in a luxury resort in Phuket, he arrived in Cebu a few months ago to join the team at the Marco Polo Plaza as its new resident manager.
“Thailand is called the land of smiles, and I could say the same about Cebu,” Xavier says of the warm welcome. “I find it easy to live here as people are very friendly and hospitable.”
What does being a resident manager involve? “It is a combination of running daily operations and planning ahead,” Xavier says. He can be seen making rounds and checking every part of the hotel to make sure operations are going smoothly, or in strategic planning meetings.
“Hospitality is a very dynamic industry, not just here but internationally,” he says.
“We need to adapt ourselves very quickly, as guest expectations are always changing.
We always have to think of what can be done and stay one step ahead of what guests expect, and offer them a unique experience.”
Even though hospitality is a demanding industry, Xavier enjoys the unique experiences and professional growth it brings. “This is the only industry where you can succeed if you work very hard and have the commitment and the passion,” he says of everyone being given a fair chance to excel. “Whether you have a diploma or not, everyone starts at the bottom. This is true for all. It doesn’t really matter which school you’re from.”
When one is constantly interacting with colleagues and guests for operations and of different nationalities at that, it’s always an interesting cultural exchange. “I was very stubborn when I first left my country,” he admits. “Traveling and adapting as a visitor to each country has made me more open-minded.”
When he is able to get a break from work, Xavier loves gastronomy and discovering new places. He relishes sitting down in a restaurant with nice food and nice ambiance.
He cites the United States and the Mediterranean island of Malta as memorable destinations, as well as Cape Town in South Africa for its vineyards, outstanding quality of food and history.
He has been very busy in the last few months since he started at Marco Polo Plaza, but looks forward to exploring the unique sights and cuisine of the city he currently calls home.