Thesis (Master in Management) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2023

Acacia Hotel Davao, a member of the Acacia Hotel group, began its operation in Davao City on November 2019. The group has been active in the Philippines since 2011, with its flagship property. Acacia Hotel Manila, situated in Ayala-Alabang, Acacia Hotel Davao opted to temporarily stop its hotel operations in Davao City due to the COVID-19 pandemic from June 2020 to January 2021 and resumed its hotel operation on February 2021. These financial achievements have encouraged the owner to continue operations. However, Acacia Hotel Davao has faced challenges in delivering a consistent customer experience since its inception. This has lead the hotel management to focus on enhancing its services. One of the primary issues has been the difficulty in attracting and retaining the necessary talent to sustain hotel operations, particularly since June 2020. This has resulted in a high level of customer dissatisfaction. Another concern is the frequent breakdown of the hotel equipment and facilities, indicating a lack of proper maintenance. In response to these challenges, this strategic plan has been developed to improve the business operations of Acacia Hotel Davao. The plan is based on a strategic management framework that included nine steps. Step 1 was Introduction of the company background, presentation of strategic issues, and discussion of the of the scope and limitations of the study; Step 2 was environmental scan, both external (using the SKEPTIC framework and External Factor Evaluation Matrix) and internal (using the Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix and SWOT matrix); Step 3 was identification the key success factors for the hotel industry; Step 4 was conducting a general performance review to assess the company’s overall performance, identify strengths and areas for improvement, pinpoint operational and service-related issues, and provide performance feedback to employees. Step 5 was the process of developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for a hotel begins with creating an Ideal Future Vision. This vision outlines the desired outcomes for customer experience, profitability, and operational efficiency, all in alignment with the company’s vision and mission statements; Step 6 involves identifying the gap between this Ideal Future Vision and the current performance of the hotel, as determined through a general performance review; Step 7 was development of proposed strategies to bridge this gap between the ideal future and current performance. These proposed strategies focus o product and service development, talent acquisition, employee engagement and retention, guest experience improvement, and facility maintenance and unkeep; Step 8 was evaluation of the proposed strategies for possible implementation. Changes are anticipated and will be monitored throughout the implantation phase. Finally Step 9 will focus on the conduct of strategic review to evaluate the strategy’s effectiveness and adapt to any changes or deviations during implementation. This comprehensive strategy is expected to result in a 30% increase in annual revenue, or around Php 400 million, by the end of the five-year period, as well as addressing all strategic issues encountered by the hotel.