Hospitality Superstars: Ed Vitug

The hospitality and tourism industry in the Philippines contributes 12% of our country’s annual gross domestic product. It is estimated that before the end of 2025, some 15 million Filipinos will be directly and indirectly working for this industry. It has been every Tourism Secretary’s dream to duplicate the number of tourist arrivals of our neighbors like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam who host 15-30 million tourists yearly, versus our 5 million.

Our industry boasts of some of the best workers and professionals who excel both here and overseas. Ask recruiters from all over the world and they will tell you hands down that ‘Pinoys’ are among the best. And among these excellent professionals is Ed Vitug, General Manager of The Bay Leaf Intramuros.

Ed began his hospitality career at the first Shangri-La hotel in the country, the EDSA Shangri-La Manila as Assistant Manager of Harana, the hotel’s Filipino restaurant. Ed moved up very quickly to Manager and then to Director of Banquet Services. Shangri-La sent Ed to assist in the openings of the Shangri-La Dubai and Indonesia and to further his development in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Back in the Philippines, Ed was poached by the then newly re-branded luxury hotel, Sofitel Philippine Plaza as it’s Director for Food & Beverage where he was involved in the opening of Manila’s most successful and popular buffet restaurant, Spiral. The Intercontinental Manila was next to poach Ed also as Director for Food & Beverage.

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