Hospitality PR today is more than just promoting destinations - it's about shaping guest experiences, building emotional connections and communicating brand values that resonate. With the media landscape growing more agile and guests becoming more value-driven, communications professionals are rethinking how to tell stories that matter.
Telum Media caught up with Wang Siew Leng, Director of Public Relations & Marketing Communications at Momentus Hospitality as she share insights on how the brand is evolving its storytelling approach, and embedding sustainability and employer branding into its core messaging.
From your perspective, how has hospitality PR evolved in recent years? What shifts have you noticed in Momentus' approach to storytelling and media engagement today compared to before?
I've been in hospitality since 2008, and I'd say there have been quite a few significant changes, especially in recent years. The media landscape has become more integrated, a lot more agile and very purpose-driven. With the rise of digital platforms and the shifting expectations of guests, one buzzword that keeps coming up is authenticity. That growing importance has redefined how we connect with our audiences.
Today, it's not just about visibility. It's about relevance, resonance and building relationships through storytelling that matters. That's why at Momentus Hospitality, we've moved beyond a traditional, single-channel communications mindset and now embrace a more layered form of storytelling that not only showcases our properties but also spotlights our people, capturing the essence of the Momentus experience to reflect our brand values authentically throughout.
Additionally, media engagement has evolved into a more strategic and insights-led function. Instead of broad-based outreach, we focus on cultivating relationships with media partners whose audiences align with our brand. By understanding their editorial direction and reader interests, we can tailor story angles that offer clear relevance and value. This shift moves us beyond generic news dissemination toward a more collaborative approach, one that delivers purposeful narratives, strengthens brand affinity and drives meaningful media impact.
What do journalists want from PR teams these days, and how do you make sure the collaboration works smoothly for everyone?
In my opinion, journalists still want the same core things, but with a stronger emphasis now on relevance, clarity and access. Especially in hospitality, it's easy for outsiders to see only the polished front, but journalists are looking for what happens behind the scenes. We try to give them that, as much as possible, while staying within our limits.
They appreciate timely, well-packaged stories tailored specifically to their audiences. No two media are alike. Even if 70% of the content is similar, how I angle it to speak to their specific audience is important.
We always support our stories with strong visuals, credible spokespeople and authentic narratives. We approach media collaboration with a partnership mindset, taking our time to understand what each journalist or media outlet needs, then tailoring our messages accordingly. That way, we ensure what we offer is newsworthy and aligned with their audience.
Sustainability and employer branding seem to be big talking points now. How is Momentus weaving these into your communications?
Momentus Hotels & Resorts is a very young brand established in 2022 and our flagship hotel opened in March 2023. That said, sustainability and employer branding were built into our strategic priorities from the start and are deeply ingrained in our brand pillars as our commitment to being good by nature and good for people.
Our sustainability efforts follow the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) framework, focusing on responsible management, community impact, cultural preservation and environmental stewardship. Since launching our sustainability committee in Q4 2023, we've implemented initiatives from ethical sourcing, energy efficiency to encouraging guests to explore local culture and ensure these commitments are authentically communicated.
As a young brand, we're proud of the small steps we've taken. Since the property's refurbishment, we were able to implement features that other hotels might not have been able to, such as installing filtered drinking water taps in every guest room, a unique addition made possible during this process. At the same time, partnering with local suppliers and businesses remains an ongoing effort we believe all hotels can and should embrace. These efforts reflect our commitment to sustainability and championing the local community in meaningful, everyday ways.
On employer branding, we are deeply committed to creating a workplace where every staff, who we call Momentus Host, feel valued, supported and empowered.
As a group, we have developed comprehensive benefits, wellness programmes and staff recognition initiatives, such as the Momentus Star Awards, to drive employee engagement and foster a positive workplace culture.
We also work closely with our leaders to identify and develop high-potential talent, implement targeted mentorships and uphold performance frameworks that are reviewed and refined every year. That agility is a huge advantage as it allows us to make timely, relevant changes without waiting for issues to build up or opportunities to pass us by.
At Momentus Hospitality, we encourage open communication. In our Hotel GM dialogues, everyone - from housekeepers to management - speaks up. This openness helps us address root issues early and improve collaboration across teams. Most importantly, we're guided by the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which means we constantly strive to improve, even if things are already good.
How does Momentus balance its values with what guests want today?
Today's guests expect more than just service; they are looking for quality, authenticity and value in every interaction. We are serving a generation of guests who are forward-thinking and eager to make the most of their time, investments and experiences.
To meet those expectations, we embed our three core brand values - Smart Design, Simplicity In Execution and Good By Nature - into every facet of our operations. For instance, we had a guest on a tight business schedule who happened to be a big coffee lover. He wanted to explore Singapore's coffee places, but didn't have time to research. One of our service team members put together a personalised Google Map list of nearby speciality coffee shops and emailed it to him. He managed to visit a couple and was really grateful. It didn't cost anything, but it was a thoughtful, relevant and authentic experience for our guest. It also showed that we listened and cared about his experience beyond the four walls of the hotel.
At the end of the day, we believe in delivering experiences that are high in quality and rich in purpose for our guests and our Momentus Hosts.
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