Marking its presence as a professional organisation in the field of Public Relations (PR) in hotels, the Surabaya Hotel Public Relations Association, known as H3 (Himpunan Humas Hotel) Surabaya, officially introduced its existence on 28 October 2023. The association made a remarkable debut by hosting its first-ever gathering at The Avenue Java Paragon Hotel & Residence Surabaya.
The organisation had been formally established in the previous month (25 September 2023) during the H3 Summit held at the Sapta Pesona Building of the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia. The primary objective behind the establishment of H3 Surabaya was to foster robust communication channels among PR practitioners, founded on principles of mutual support, affection, and attention. Additionally, H3 Surabaya aims to create a pleasant environment for all hotel PR professionals in Surabaya to exchange experiences and information, advance the tourism industry, and offer various programs for self-development in the evolving fields of Public Relations and Marketing Communication.
The inaugural gathering saw the active participation of 40 PR professionals from Surabaya’s two to five-star hotels, along with several esteemed media colleagues. The series of events entitled “The First Gathering Sharing Session: Facing The Era of Public Relation Disruption,” consisted of a comprehensive set of agendas. From the introductions of all H3 Surabaya officers for the 2023-2025 term, to an overview of H3 Surabaya’s annual agenda by H3 Surabaya Chairperson, Kus Andi.
The gathering comprised insightful sessions conducted by four distinguished speakers throughout the day. One of the sessions, titled “Career Getaway as Public Relations in the Old & New Era,” featured Santi Manurung and Etty Soraya as speakers. Both seasoned PR practitioners shared their experiences and wisdom, emphasising that a proficient Public Relations professional should possess not only a pleasing appearance but also a commendable attitude, as they serve as ambassadors for their respective workplaces.
In the second session, Mr. Tatok Hariyanto as General Manager of Leedon Hotel & Suites Surabaya shared the stage with Aprilleo Abie from Suara Surabaya Media, where he stressed that “A Public Relations professional must be flexible and capable of fostering good relationships with all media colleagues.”, highlighting the importance of interconnection between PR and media dynamics.
Maria Ulfah, Director of Sales at Java Paragon Hotel & Residence Surabaya and the host of the inaugural H3 Surabaya gathering, expressed her immense satisfaction in being part of this significant event. She voiced her hope that H3 Surabaya would empower all hotel PR professionals in Surabaya to elevate their skills and expertise in Public Relations. The event, with its fruitful sessions and interactions, had laid the foundation for a more collaborative PR community in Surabaya and shared with the attendees new knowledge and experience that hoped to be able to encourage them to contribute positively to the city’s thriving tourism industry.
Himpunan Humas Hotel (H3) – Surabaya
h3surabaya.info@gmail.com
