From a single 43-room property 25 years ago, the Henann Group now runs several hotel resorts in Boracay and Bohol with a total of nearly 1,700 rooms. The expansion continues, with the company setting its sights on building additional properties in Boracay, Bohol, Mactan, Coron and Malcapuyo Island in Palawan.
By Alex Y. Vergara
The Henann Group of Resorts, one of the country’s biggest hotel resort chains, just turned 25. And key people behind it led by founding chairman and president Dr. Henry Chusuey pulled out all the stops in a recent grand celebration befitting such a milestone event at the Henann Regency Resort & Spa’s grand ballroom and convention center.
Apart from seven Henann properties located in different stations on the island of Boracay in Aklan, the Henann Group also runs two high-end properties on Panglao Island in Bohol.
As Henry revealed during his welcome address, plans are afoot to build more Henann properties in the coming years, including another one in Bohol and in Boracay where the defunct Boracay Terraces used to be located. The latter is envisioned as a top-tier luxury property and Henann’s answer to the best of the best in the world.
Expansion plans also include building Henann properties in Mactan, Cebu, and Coron and Malcapuyo Island, Palawan.
As the group grew over the years, people kept on asking them when they would bring the Henann name outside the Philippines by building and expanding abroad. “We have no such plans,” Henry said, “because we want to keep business activity within the country to provide employment and growth opportunities for Filipinos.”
He also took pride in the fact that his homegrown babies are run by an-all “Pinoy and Chinoy” team, including his three adult children Alfonso Louis, Karl Hendrik and Christina Ann.
The event was graced by some of Henry and wife Anna Lissa’s good friends, including Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores, his father, former Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, and former Presidential Spokespersons Harry Roque and Salvador Panelo.
Adding spice and much-needed laughter and music to the night were entertainers Giselle Sanchez, who once again tickled funny bones with her trademark naughty comedy skit, and Juan Miguel Salvador and his band. Salvador, the evening’s finale act, brought the house down by dishing out well-loved cover versions of ’80s hits.
But one of the evening’s biggest revelations was Henry’s announcement that he would soon be bowing out of his executive role in the company and leave management functions to his three children and their managers. He would just watch from the sidelines, he said lightly, and be a “collector,” inspiration and guiding voice as the company continues to expand and explore new and potential tourist areas in the country.
According to a press material, what was once envisioned to be a private family vacation spot for the Chusuey family has grown to offer Filipino families and foreign tourists a relaxing place to stay for their beach adventures. Henry took a chance on what was an undeveloped plot of land in Boracay 25 years ago, to build what has now become the biggest home-grown resort group in the country today. Under his visionary leadership, Henann Group of Resorts, derived from a combination of Henry and Anna Lissa’s names, has become synonymous with great accommodations, excellent service and value for money.
Starting with what was then the 43-room Boracay Regency Beach Resort, which later on expanded to become the 302-room Henann Regency Resort & Spa, the hospitality company acquired more properties to build its brand: Henann Prime Beach Resort, Henann Park Resort, Henann Lagoon Resort, Henann Crystal Sands Resort, Henann Garden Resort, and Henann Palm Beach Resort located in Boracay; and the Henann Resort Alona Beach and Henann Tawala Resort located in Bohol.
Aside from consistently receiving recognition from the Department of Tourism and from booking sites such as Tripadvisor and Booking.com, along with positive reviews on its social media pages for its excellent facilities and world-class guest services, the Henann Group marked a major milestone in 2016 by being the first Filipino company to wrap their logo on local airline planes to promote the launch of their Bohol property. The unprecedented marketing move was a brainchild of Karl, who is the company’s vice president, the press material added.
Karl’s siblings also hold major roles in the company, with Alfonso as president and Christina as head of accounting. Together, they ensure that the hospitality group maintains their father’s vision of offering consistent high-quality guest experiences throughout all their properties.
“Henann has become synonymous with relaxing vacations in comfortable accommodations that highlight the best of its locality,” Alfonso said. “We match the guest expectations so that they would experience the same level of service with thoughtful amenities at any Henann hospitality property. This has led us to become the resort of choice for many Filipinos and foreign travelers through the years.”
“As a home-grown brand, Henann offers the best of Filipino hospitality, inspired by the best global practices, with local influences that showcase Filipino pride. We offer our guests comfort and luxury for their memorable vacations at the best island destinations that the Philippines has to offer,” Karl added.
The Philippines is steadily recovering its tourism numbers, and the company is doing its part in supporting the continued growth of the local travel industry.
“My vision for Hennan Group of Resorts remains the same as when we started 25 years ago, amid all the challenges of building the property from scratch. We want to offer our guests the best of the Philippines, with unparalleled facilities and services that are designed with elegance and comfort in mind. The travel industry remains one of the major economic drivers of the country, and we at Henann Group of Resorts are committed to supporting our robust growth in hospitality by constantly innovating and developing our properties to become world-class destinations to create memorable experiences,” said Henry.
For more information about the Henann Group of Resorts, visit www.henann.com
