The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection announced the significant expansion of its human resource component in the Asia-Pacific, particularly for its reservations team in light of surging demand.
According to vice-president and general manager in the Asia-Pacific Seb Seward: “We are thrilled to welcome such talented and driven individuals to our APAC team. It’s notable how they all stood out thanks. to their exceptional guest service ethos.
The new appointments include Melissa Ong who takes on the role of director for travel partnerships in Asia, along with three additional members for the reservations team based in Sydney, Australia.
Meet Melissa Ong
Ong officially took on the post of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s director of travel partnerships in Asia on 8th September.
Currently based in Singapore, she knows The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection well as she was a global account director with Marriott Luxury Group as Global Account Director for six years.
Prior to that, she spent eight years with The Leading Hotels of the World.
Seward said of Ong: “I am delighted to welcome Melissa to the team. I had the opportunity to know her well over the past year and have really enjoyed working with her. We’re excited to leverage her market expertise and relationships as we continue our growth in Asia.”
He added that this is the perfect time for Ong to join the Collection’s growing team, as it looks forward to the Luminara’s inaugural Asian voyage season this December.
For her part, Ong enthused: “I’m thrilled to begin this new journey with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The brand’s dedication to redefining luxury at sea through personalised service, transformative travel experiences, and a spirit of discovery deeply resonates with me. It’s more than just travel; it’s about creating meaningful moments that linger long after the voyage ends. I’m looking forward to collaborating with partners who share our passion for innovation and excellence. Together, we can craft unforgettable experiences that elevate luxury travel.”\
Time to grow the team
At the same time, to meet surging customer demand, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection needed to expand its Sydney-based reservations team from two to five agents.
The new additions to the team are Christopher Menon who joins from Four Seasons Singapore, and previously worked at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong; Nathan Gudsell who comes in from Baillie Lodges and previously worked for Quintessentially; and another Marriott team member Jasmine Zaman who is currently working as assistant front office manager at Pier One Sydney Harbour was previously with The Ritz-Carlton property Hotel Arts in Barcelona.
While Menon joined the team last 18th August and Gudsell on 2nd September, Zaman will be coming in on 6th October.
At present, Menon and Gudsell are in Fort Lauderdale, FL for extensive training, and will later have first-hand yacht experience in Europe before they begin assisting partners this October.
Zaman, on the other hand, will train in Malta prior to having her own superyacht experience; she officially assumes her duties in November.
Seward said of the expanded team: Trade partnerships are central to our strategy and I’m confident that our advisors will value our investment in our Sydney-based team.”
