“AS we all know, Brava International Hotels and Resorts is known for luxury and elegance. For forty years, we served thousands of VIPs including head of states, celebrities and royalties. Our consumers are mostly the power elite, booming with confidence consumers and flourishing families. They got money to burn.”
Aiden was full of confidence as he faced the board of directors for the meeting. Wala na ang bakas ng lalaking walang kompiyansa at muntik nang takbuhan ang meeting kanina. He was now the man after she kissed his worries away.
Si Lexie ngayon ang mas nanlalamig at kinakabahan. Amadeus could be quite intimidating sitting on top of the boardroom table. He had that hawk-like look in his eyes as he braced himself for Aiden’s presentation.
“However, the world of travel is shifting its course. We’ve been neglecting the budget travelers, specifically the millenials like me. Who are the millenials?”
Nakuha ng binata ang interes ng mga director lalo na nang lumabas ang larawan ng mga millenial at sino ang mga ito. “In the US, millenials represent the number one consumer hotel segment by next year. Young people are often money poor but time rich, which means they can spend longer in a destination than a typical tourist. Seventy-eight of millenials would rather spend money on desirable experience or event than buying something desirable. However, since almost half of their budget is on accommodation, do you think they will consider our high end hotels and resorts even if they want to?”
“So what do you suggest, Mr. Dela Merced?” anong ni Vice-Chairman Wang, ang second in command kay Amadeus sa board of directors.
“By building budget hotels and resorts,” sagot ni Aiden at napuno ng bulung-bulungan ang buong silid. It was as if that idea was something unheard of.
Humalakhak si Amadeus nang sarkastiko. “My dear little brother, we worked so hard for so many years to maintain the Brava brand. Luxury, opulence and elegance only to be offered to those in budget? You can do better than that.”
Kumunot ang noo ni Aiden. “That is such a snob remark. They are also consumers.”
Inilahad ni Amadeus anng palad. “You know what’s with Brava Hotel? It is a dream. A paradise. Of course, people will work hard for it if they want to experience it. Budget travel is not about being poor. It is about experience. That you spend something that is worth your money. The Brava brand is worth every cent.” Di sumagot si Aiden. Matiim lang itong nakatitig sa kapatid habang mariing magkadikit ang labi. “I can understand if you don’t understand the concept, Aiden. I really, really do. Maybe you don’t get the elegant side of the family. It won’t work. Kailangan ba talagang isiksikan ng sarili kahit na wala sa lugar?”
Makahulugan ang sinabi ni Amadeus sa kapatid. Nakita niya ang discomfort sa ibang direktor. May alam ang mga ito. Parang si Lexie lang ang di nakakaalam kung ano ang gulo sa pagitan ng dalawa. What’s with being poor? Pareho namang dela Merced ang mga ito at lumaki sa yaman.
Naglaban ang mga mata ng magkapatid. Nakangiti at nang-uuyam ang mga mata ni Amadeus habang galit at nasasaktan naman si Aiden. Hindi pa niya ito nakitang ugali. Kung naiirita man ito ay di nawawala ang ngiti nito. Nakita niya ang pagkuyom ng palad nito at natatakot siya na sugurin nito ang kapatid.
Parang sinasadya ni Amadeus na galitin ang lalaki. Gusto nitong makita na magkamali si Aiden. O kaya ay galitin ito para ma-discredit sa harap ng mga direktor. At kapag nangyari iyon, di lang presentation nito ang masisira kundi pati ang reputasyon nito. Lalo nitong di makukuha ang pangarap nito. Wala siyang ideya kung gaano kalalim ang rivalry o away ng magkapatid pero pati career niya ay tiyak na maaapektuhan ng gulong iyon. It would be like Aiden’s downfall.
Tumayo agad si Lexie nang parang may pumitik ang pisngi ni Aiden. Inilipat niya ang presentation sa susunod na slide. “Point taken, Sir Amadeus. But in a realistic sense, that is not what our figures say. Sir Aiden will explain the graph on how neglecting these millenials can affect our sales. The chart at the back shows us the survey we conducted on our guests.”
Binigyan niya ng matiim ngunit makahulugan na tingin si Aiden. He must not screw up. Masasayang ang pinaghirapan nila dahil lang di nito makontrol ang emosyon nito. Kung kokomprontahin man nito ang kapatid, they could do it later. They had a presentation to focus on.
Nakita niya ang kislap sa mga mata ni Aiden at ngumiti sa mga kaharap. Lumingon ito sa graph at nagpatuloy sa presentation. “Majority of our guests are baby boomers and Gen Z. They are the one with money. And we are not getting the percentage of the number one consumer. Even high end companies like Ayala Land created low cost housing for the clients with lower income. Other companies even huge international brands do the same. In our estimate, this is the amount we could earn if put up a branch in El Nido, for example.”
Ang El Nido ang isa sa top tourist destination sa bansa na dinadayo ng local at foreign tourists, karamihan sa mga ito ay backpackers. Kahit pa sabihing hindi kasing mahal o elegante ang itatayong budget hotel doon, sapat na ang pangalan ng Brava Hotel para naisin ng mga ito sa naturang hotel. They could experience the Brava Hotel’s excellent service for a lower price. Napaghandaan na nila ni Aiden ang lahat ng argumento at butas para sa presentation na iyon. Ilang araw nilang ihinanda ang datos para mapagtibay ang proposal nila.
“How much will be our investment for that branch alone?” tanong ng isa sa mga direktor. Ngumiti si Lexie. Now they were talking.
“A BRAVA experience that fits your pocket. That is a nice concept. It doesn’t matter, sa elite man nanggaling ang pera o sa mga simpleng empleyado o estudyante na gustong magbakasyon, pare-pareho lang ang kulay ng pera,” sabi ni Director Wang na isa sa sumang-ayon sa pagpapatayo ng budget line ng Brava Hotel. It would be under the Brava Hotel umbrella but would be called Lavender Hotel. They would still provide the same excellen service but within reason.
“Thank you for the support, Director Wang,” sabi ni Aiden at bahagyang yumukod bilang paggalang. Ito ang numero unong kritiko ni Amadeus. Pero nakahanap ng kakampi si Aiden dito. “I really hope that the company will benefit from this project.”