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PROFILE
The Man on the Wings
by Marc Almagro
02 Sep 2020
02 Sep 2020
On the virtual ‘eve’ of a resort’s opening, Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore general manager Eric Piatti contemplates the virtues of the decision to hold back.
Even before the pandemic broke out, Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore had already put in place a comprehensive digital and contactless strategy, claims general manager Mr Eric Michel Piatti. The thinking was to layer the upcoming resort’s world-renowned service with increased efficiency through technological interfaces. “This proved to be a valuable strategy, given the climate today,” Piatti surmises. He is visibly excited about the new resort’s launch, but he is biding his time. With three decades of hospitality experience, he knows things that are done the right way takes time.
The soft opening of Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore is likely to take place in the fourth quarter this year, an official communique announces – a short delay from the earlier target of third quarter 2020 – owing to the circuit breaker. The resort is scheduled to open in phases. “Right now, the safety and comfort of our guests and residents are a number one priority,” Piatti explains. His team has been undergoing extensive training, but Piatti is taking no chances. “We want to ensure that when we open, our full bandwidth will focus on ensuring that hygiene protocols and our signature Thai-inspired hospitality are integrated into the heart of the luxury urban resort’s operations.”
Located within the Laguna National Golf & Country Club precinct in the eastern part of Singapore, the resort is hard at work, together with the golf club, in overseeing the development and implementation of extensive hygiene, cleanliness, and distancing protocols. An estimated S$1.5 million investment is in place to ensure the safety of guests, residents, and club members, through decreased contact (via digitalization), and heightened hygiene, from arrival to departure, Piatti reveals.
- STABLE, STEADY RETURN
- THE NOVELTY CARD
- LOCATION, FACILITIES, EXPERIENCES
- THE BIGNESS AHEAD
- CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY
Although Piatti does foresee things turning around quickly, he pins his hopes on a steady return to normalcy. With a new establishment, he is convinced they are in a good position to scale operations if they remain agile and able to adjust to market demands.
He anticipates a travel boom once travelers regain confidence in safety. “For now, we know that essential travel will begin first. With Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore’s ideal location (ten minutes by car from Changi Airport and 15 minutes downtown), we are primed to welcome business and transit travelers whenever that happens.”
With the scheduled opening, the resort will focus on the domestic market first. Its existing social and golf memberships, accessible through Laguna National Golf & Country Club, gives it a good initial base. “Additionally, the local market, which will be eager and hungry to discover new experiences due to travel restrictions, will find that Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore meets their needs from a wellness and destination getaway perspective.”
- STABLE, STEADY RETURN
- THE NOVELTY CARD
- LOCATION, FACILITIES, EXPERIENCES
- THE BIGNESS AHEAD
- CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY
The Novelty Card
Piatti also expects novelty to bring an advantage that the resort needs for a strong opening. The new resort has access to two championship golf courses, and wellness-inspired surroundings and experiences. Its facilities include a large, fully equipped gym, three swimming pools, three outdoor tennis courts and a signature spa, which will open next year. Its five dining outlets will offer international cuisines as well as special healthy and children’s menus. Plans are underway for farm-to-table dining supported by a garden planted with herbs and a selection of Thai fruits and vegetables. The resort will also collaborate with local partners to organize what Piatti calls unique discovery experiences, which will include cycling tours within the eastern precinct. Piatti has also lined up attractive offers that they will unveil from the first of October this year. Discover Dusit staycation packages comprising dining, golfing, and spa promotions will be launched on the resort’s website.
Plans are underway for farm-to-table dining supported by a garden planted with herbs and a selection of Thai fruits and vegetables. The resort will also collaborate with local partners to organize what Piatti calls unique discovery experiences, which will include cycling tours within the eastern precinct.
Piatti has also lined up attractive offers that they will unveil from the first of October this year. Discover Dusit staycation packages comprising dining, golfing, and spa promotions will be launched on the resort’s website.
- STABLE, STEADY RETURN
- THE NOVELTY CARD
- LOCATION, FACILITIES, EXPERIENCES
- THE BIGNESS AHEAD
- CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY
Location, Facilities, Experiences
Piatti envisions Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore to become the prime wellness retreat for couples in the domestic market that offers exclusive couple experiences from signature massages to a couples-only pool at the spa. He also hopes to attract young families looking for an active weekend getaway with the resort’s ample facilities and varied guest activities to keep the whole family engaged and rejuvenated during their weekend stays.
When the travel restrictions eventually lift, Piatti is confident that its location between the airport and city center, along with its facilities and activities geared towards wellness, golfing, and leisure, will make Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore “the perfect residence for vacationers and ‘bleisure’ travelers”.
Meetings can be organized at the resort, where eight private pavilions can each host up to 20 guests. Large-scale events, meanwhile, can be held in outdoor and indoor facilities with capacity for 520 guests, depending on distancing requirements. “Lastly,” Piatti, emphasizes, “the resort’s size allows for a complete book out for high-profile events, to ensure around-the-clock privacy and safety of guests.”
- STABLE, STEADY RETURN
- THE NOVELTY CARD
- LOCATION, FACILITIES, EXPERIENCES
- THE BIGNESS AHEAD
- CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY
The Bigness Ahead
The co-location with Laguna National Golf & Country Club is a key differentiator in the resort’s marketing strategy. “There is no other property in Singapore that offers residents direct access to two award-winning, championship golf courses,” Piatti points out. “In the same vein, there is no other golf club in Singapore that offers a level of hospitality that carries the mark of a five-star resort.” These steer their key strategies to ride on the back of the “unique twinning and design integrated experiences that both residents of the resort and members of the club will appreciate and enjoy”.
Industry projections excite Piatti. He quotes from a February 2020 BBC.com report that the wellness tourism market grew from $563bn to $639bn between 2015 and 2017, a 6.5 per cent annual rise that is more than twice as fast as that of tourism overall. In the same article, he notes, US-based non-profit Global Wellness Institute (GWI) predicted that by 2022, the market would reach a whopping $919bn – representing 18 per cent of all global tourism – with well over a billion individual wellness trips to take place around the globe.
“Given Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore’s wellness-focused surroundings and services, a big part of our marketing strategy will naturally aim to capitalize on this rise in wellness tourism, and spotlight our suite of wellness experiences to staycationers, vacationers, and bleisure travelers alike,” he says.
- STABLE, STEADY RETURN
- THE NOVELTY CARD
- LOCATION, FACILITIES, EXPERIENCES
- THE BIGNESS AHEAD
- CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY
Confidence in Safety
“Since the pandemic hit, our immediate priority has been on assuring guests and residents that our luxury urban resort is a clean, safe, and secure place to stay in when we open,” Piatti says, returning to the preparation for the soft launch. Together with Laguna National Golf & Country Club, they have established a combined task force dedicated to overseeing the development and implementation of extensive hygiene, cleanliness, and distancing protocols, from arrival to departure. Virtual check-ins and checkouts via the Dusit Service app, virtual key cards, robotic butlers, digital in-room menus, and automated floor scrubbers will also be in place.
Dusit International also recently introduced ‘Dusit Care - Stay with Confidence’, a new program of services designed to deliver additional convenience, experience and value while ensuring guests always feel safe and reassured. The program, Piatti shares, is rolled out across all Dusit hotels and resorts, “and features five new services: Safety & Well-being, Flexible Stays, Technology, Local Experience, and Dusit Care Kits”.
The Safety & Well-being protocol enhances Dusit properties’ already stringent health and safety practices. It includes frequent sanitization of all rooms and public areas, with temperature scans on arrival, ample space in restaurants, and more measures to protect the health and safety of guests, customers, and team members
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