The Guam Daily Post: Dusit Beach Resort wins World Travel Award, asserts Guam's tourism potential

In a significant achievement for Guam's hospitality sector, Dusit Beach Resort Guam has been named Guam's Leading Resort 2024 at the prestigious World Travel Awards. Its sister property, Dusit Thani Guam Resort, also earned a nomination in the globally recognized competition, the resort announced last week.

The award comes at a critical time as Guam's tourism industry works to recover from recent challenges, including the pandemic and a devastating typhoon. The recognition highlights the resilience and quality of Guam's hospitality sector as the island seeks to rebuild visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels.

David Baldwin, general manager at Dusit Beach Resort Guam, praised the accomplishment in the release. "The World Travel Awards honor is a testament to our team's unwavering commitment to providing exceptional experiences for our guests," he said. "Knowing this achievement comes through the endorsement of both industry professionals and discerning travelers makes it particularly meaningful, as it validates our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of hospitality."

The Guam Daily Post met with Baldwin and Dean Huntsman, regional vice president of operations at Dusit Thani Guam Resort, at their offices in Tumon on Thursday.

Both executives attributed the success of their properties to several factors, including their complementary positioning in the market. While Dusit Thani Guam Resort maintains a luxury brand, Dusit Beach Resort caters to a broader family audience. Baldwin emphasized this synergy. "It's been the best thing that happened to us because a guest can choose to stay at either hotel at slightly different price points. Dusit Beach is a little friendlier to families and lower budgets, but guests have access to all the facilities at both hotels."

The properties' commitment to continuous improvement plays a crucial role in maintaining high standards. Huntsman explained their approach: "Our philosophy is to keep up maintenance and improvements rather than letting the hotel deteriorate and then renovating. We consistently maintain quality so the guest experience remains steady instead of fluctuating as the property wears."

The award recognition comes as Guam's tourism industry faces challenges, including airlift capacity and currency exchange rates. "We need to make sure that the seats are there for people to come. The only way to get to Guam, obviously, is on an airplane," Huntsman said. "Unfortunately, airlines allocate their aircraft where they'll be most profitable. So, we have to ensure Guam remains a desirable destination for carriers to return and open those seats."

Looking ahead, both properties are investing in new amenities and services. Dusit Beach Resort is set to open a new spa this spring, while both properties continue to embrace technological innovations to enhance guest experiences. The hotels utilize AI for marketing, revenue management and guest communications, including advanced translation services for international visitors.

Employee development remains a cornerstone of their success, with education and training deeply embedded in the organization’s culture. As Huntsman explained, "One thing that's quite unique about Dusit is that we also operate hotel schools. We're not only in the business of running hotels; we have schools in Thailand, cooking schools and education is really part of our DNA."

The properties maintain strong relationships with local educational institutions and typically host 30 to 40 interns at any given time from sources including Guam Community College, Korea, Thailand and occasionally the Philippines. This commitment to workforce development has garnered additional recognition, with the organization previously winning the award for Best Employer to Work For on Guam.

The World Travel Awards recognition validates current efforts and serves as a foundation for future growth. While the properties plan to leverage the award in their marketing efforts, they maintain a balanced approach. "We like to acknowledge it, but I think we're still a little humble," Baldwin said. "We're not going to put the awards in front of everybody so blatantly, but we're happy to acknowledge it where appropriate."

The award marks another milestone in Dusit’s history on Guam. Dusit Thani Guam Resort previously won in 2021 and 2019 and has received seven nominations since 2016.

"We're very proud of Guam and think it has a lot to offer," Huntsman said. "We want people to experience it. We want to make sure we have a strong industry. We're in it for the long term, so we have to take care of our island."