Hospitality veteran Christoph Kuch may be a relative newcomer to Dusit Davao, which collectively consists of three properties — dusitD2 Davao, Dusit Thani Residence Davao, and Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort — but he is up to snuff and beyond on all aspects of the good life.
Originally from Germany, he finished his BA in Hotel Management and Finance degree as a scholar from the University of Heidelberg, the country’s oldest university founded in 1386. He became an apprentice in his homeland and worked at cruise ships in the Food and Beverage sector.
He has since been assigned in Europe, North America, and Asia through the decades. Passionate, focused and quality-driven with an eye for detail, he has been in the Philippines for seven years and counting. He moved to Davao in December 2019 and eventually assumed the general manager post of the trio of properties that comprise Dusit Davao.
He continues to believe that the biggest challenge is to be an excellent hotelier. Admittedly, he loves to explore new experiences and tries new products for the benefit of the guests!
If he were not in the travel and tourism industry, Kuch would have gone into sales — but probably only dealing with exclusive sought-after items.
To de-stress, he travels, tries new cuisines in other cultural destinations, and even finds time to study the stock market.
Let us hear from the amiable and dedicated hotelier on how he manages the properties first hand:
Management style:
Absolutely hands-on — lead by example and motivate the teams.
Marketing preference:
Prefer traditional word-of-mouth. These stories come from true experiences.
Property values:
One should have the right officers and staff to take care of the customers, a track record of consistent standards, supported by well-organized and meticulously maintained infrastructure.
Pandemic lessons:
We needed to be innovative and conduct business wherever we could — in different ways. We had to multitask and be ready for adjustments. In other words, be dynamic, be flexible, and be adaptable.
Career highlights:
During the Ski Racing Olympics in Vail Colorado, where the Swiss, German and US teams were billeted at our hotel, the Sonnenalp Vail. I likewise cannot forget Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, when I was connected with the Manila Hotel, where I was responsible for the Presidents of South Korea and Chile. Finally, my biggest dream was being named the general manager of such diverse properties, but share similar goals.
Desired assignment:
I dream to be assigned in a cosmopolitan city in Southeast Asia, running not one, but multiple hotels of character.