Bright, dynamic and charismatic, Aileen Clemente has taken Rajah Travel Corp. to new heights. Could she be the tourism industry’s golden ticket to success?
When Aileen Clemente’s mother first started Rajah Tours in 1972, it was comprised of only five employees in a small office under the Ambassador Hotel’s stairs. That was then.
Today, with over 250 employees under its helm, Rajah Travel Corp. is one of the most prominent travel agencies in all of Southeast Asia. Since Aileen took the helm of the company in 2000, Rajah Travel has been recognized eight times as the Best Travel Agency by Singapore-based TTG Group (think of it as the Oscars of the travel industry). Her company’s exclusive high-profile business partners, such as Disney and Contiki, expansive travel services, and innovative online interface have set new standards in the Philippine tourism industry.
One of Rajah Travel’s newest features is its online Travel Registry. “It’s like a wedding registry. You can pick three destinations and send that e-mail to your loved ones so they can contribute to that package!†explains Rajah Travel’s chairman and president. This feature allows newlyweds, couples and families to build their dream vacations. “It’s better than getting plates,†she adds with laughter.
So to what does Aileen attribute her company’s success? “Ensuring that our business is human. When you sell travel, you sell experience. That’s why we focus on stewardship and community. Profit is only our second priority.†Aileen invests heavily in her work force — building personal relationships with each employee. “Although, sometimes they’re still scared of the boss,†she jokes. This strong sense of community within Rajah, allows their clients to feel at home. “We want to build genuine relationships with our clients. And what employees experience here, is what they have to give.â€
For Aileen, work means more than merely clocking in from nine to five. “The concept of work-life balance is that the two are separate. But if you accept work as a part of your life, there is nothing to balance. People say you need to separate your professional and personal life, but I believe that makes it harder to be sincere.â€
Perhaps this work ethic is what allows Aileen to juggle a myriad of responsibilities. “For my family, stewardship is not only of our employees, but of the industry as well.â€
Aside from managing her own company, Aileen is the president of the ASEAN Tourism Association, executive vice president of the TCP, and a member of the CHED Technical Committee on Tourism and Hospitality, and much more. She has presented position papers and pushed for government policies, such as the Tourism Act of 2009 and the National Tourism Development Plan, that continue to shape tourism both internationally and locally. With a new administration coming in, Aileen has her reservations. But that doesn’t mean she’ll stop trying to help develop a brighter tourism landscape. “I cannot comment for sure, but I know I’m going to push more for institutional growth and be more visible and aggressive.â€
Aileen is also no stranger to accolades. In fact, she received a “Global Peace Through Tourism Award†from the International Institute for Peace through Tourism India (IIPT India) in association with ITB Berlin and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), during the first Global Peace Awards for Empowered Women in Tourism last March. The awarding ceremony entitled “Celebrating Her†aimed to acknowledge and honor exceptional women in the fields of travel, tourism, and hospitality who have worked towards fostering the tourism business as a vehicle for peace.
Beyond tourism, Aileen also has cultivated a sense of stewardship for Philippine history. Rajah Travel’s advocacy “Lost Pieces of History,†not only fuels local tourism, but also preserves and rediscovers important aspects of our country’s history and culture.
“Our first project was the Palawan Liberation — nobody, not even the locals knew that it was because of Palawan, World War II ended earlier,†she says. Rajah Travel transformed the once overlooked Plaza Cuartel into a National Heritage Zone and sponsored the 70th anniversary of the liberation. “Last year was the first time any of the veterans were honored. They were asking us, ‘Why only now?’ and we couldn’t give them an answer. History was forgotten. We’re trying to fix that.â€
Through her company, her government positions and her advocacy, Aileen Clemente has set the standard for a new kind of travel agency: one that recognizes its responsibility to the industry as a whole. “We’ve achieved so much not because we want to be the first, but because we want a thriving industry, an ecosystem that works.â€
(By KAI FELICIANO | Photography by DAN YUSAY HARVEY | Hair and makeup by EDDIE MAR CABILTES | PeopleAsia August – September 2016)
