A 20-year-old property resting on the southern coast of Mactan Island has been abuzz lately with its newly upgraded facilities.
The property, Pacific Cebu Resort, used to cater to mainly Japanese divers, yet starting 2013 under its new management, it has opened its doors to a wider market—and one of those paving the way is its young and dynamic director of sales and marketing, Mychylle Teo.
Mychylle joins the lists of hoteliers who have worked through the ranks in the competitive hospitality industry. An extensive list of credentials has brought her to where she is now, a breadth of experience brought about by passion and industriousness.
A graduate of hotel and restaurant management from the University of San Jose – Recoletos, she first joined Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa as waitress and bartender of its food and beverage team, eventually becoming part of the resort’s front office staff.
“But I had the dream to contribute so much more and I wanted to pursue my ambition,” she said. Mychylle first dabbled in hotel sales when she became part of the opening team of Crimson Resort and Spa. It was followed with a stint in Imperial Palace Waterpark (now Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark) and then with a city hotel, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, where she said she was exposed to handling various accounts.
It was in October last year when the young hotelier assumed her current position. Recognizing the potential of the property, Mychylle shared that she didn’t think twice about accepting the responsibility—she said, “The property is beautiful, so I thought,
why not?”
Her first task was to set up a department that, essentially, didn’t exist. While housekeeping and food and beverage systems were already in place, the resort’s previous management used to handle its sales in Japan—which Mychylle countered by building the sales department from the ground up. She said she has been getting individuals who exhibit the same level of dedication as her, honing them to excel—just as her mentors had trained her.
“It’s been challenging, but it’s the happy kind,” she said, and gladly reported that the resort has since exhibited high occupancy rates despite its entry to new markets. That much is reason to celebrate, but Mychylle said that at the end of the day, it’s the people surrounding her that keep her going. “In this industry, the people I meet are so diverse. From them, I learn new things every day,” she simply said.
Pacific Cebu Resort was acquired by Hong Kong-based Sáv Hospitality Ltd. in 2013. Since last year, the six-hectare resort has been undergoing renovations—including the development of its scenic beach front and pier—as part of its vision of being recognized as an international four-star resort. And with a go-getter like Mychylle as part of its managing team, that vision is easily a step closer to being realized.