WAP Announces the Launch of
HAPA’s New Face
HAPA'S FOUNDER/ORGANISER/PROMOTER AND SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSWOMAN JENNIFER ONG AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
3 CHEERS FOR HAPA!
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The 13th series of the HAPA Awards, staged at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel Kuala Lumpur on 11 November 2016 witnessed a gathering of hospitality professionals from Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia and Thailand, to celebrate achievements in hospitality excellence. The unveiling of the “new face” of HAPA was the highlight of the HAPA Regional 2016-2018 Series Awards Gala Dinner which held guests in awe.
The new face of HAPA reflects Founder, Jennifer Ong’s vision of acknowledging and recognizing people in the industry who make a significant difference in hospitality excellence. Ong said, “The objective of introducing a new face to the HAPA Awards is to connect the Awards Programme to the people in the industry. Hospitality is essentially a “people” industry – managed by the people for the people, from all quarters.
The human element is something that goes hand-in-hand with outstanding hospitality achievement. It is therefore, our honour and privilege to pay tribute to those who have excelled exceptionally through dedication, commitment and performance”.
The year 2016 marks a great achievement for HAPA as it celebrates its 13th Anniversary. Ong said, “We just concluded a very exciting HAPA Regional Series that not only recognises stellar service within the industry but also works to discover new talent and establishments. The HAPA Awards are different because it recognises the unsung heroes from both front and back-of-house for their passion, dedication, extraordinary drive and resilient spirit.”
The HAPA Regional Awards has been a key event in the hospitality industry in Malaysia and Singapore, and in 2008, included properties and personalities from Indonesia and Thailand where participants came from Bali, Jakarta, Bangkok and Phuket.
In the 2011 HAPA Regional Series, other regional destinations participated including those from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Manila and the Thai entries also
included some from Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. A year later, the HAPA Indonesia Series was launched.
This year’s nominees had the opportunity to nominate for a number of award categories covering most sections of the industry. HAPA has prided itself in recognising those who work hard in their respective sectors and it is not just about 5-star properties and leading restaurants but a good cross-section a the industry.
Another highlight of the event was the introduction of the new benchmark system whereby the HAPA Awards enables properties and personalities to benchmark themselves in accordance with the criteria set for each category, and nominees who have surpassed the respective category benchmark score receives an Award for Excellence for their achievements.
All on-site assessments were conducted incognito by our panel of auditors comprising hospitality industry professionals, academics, writers, agents, corporate professionals and C-level individuals.
Since the birth of HAPA in 2002, Ong has always maintained the need for the hospitality industry to show its charitable side. Each year, a selected charity foundation is named as the beneficiary of the HAPA Awards Series. The recipient this year is the National Cancer Society of Malaysia in support of the University Malaya Medical Centre and Hospital Kuala Lumpur for cancer children.
At the end of the day, the HAPA Awards Series has created a platform for the industry to benchmark and improve themselves in tune with industry trends and new challenges, and, ultimately enhancing the levels of service among hospitality practitioners. The core strength of this dynamic industry is invariably credited to all the individuals and establishments who contribute in one way or another and is deserving of recognition and reward. This, is the spirit of the HAPA Awards.
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