Serviced apartments flourish on tourism push

MANILA, Philippines - The serviced apartment sector is booming with the continued upswing in the local and international tourism industry.

Global hotel brand Dusit Thani International said the growing tourism and economic activities in the country should be accompanied by improvements in the quality of destinations and accommodations in more parts of the Philippines.

“The booming economy equals new businesses, which equals to more executives looking for efficient places to live in the central business districts in the Philippines,” Dusit Thani Residences Davao development director Andrew Sparrow said.

Serviced apartments are a new concept in the Philippines but  have become a viable alternative for the business tourism sector.

They are fully-furnished apartments with amenities usually available in hotels and are the cheaper alternative accommodation for both short and long term stays.

Sparrow explained that executive travelers tend to stay for at least a week to a few months, and prefer accommodations that provide the comforts of home, easy access to luxurious amenities and are ideally located near their workplace.

“The services and amenities of high-end serviced apartments are comparable to those of the hotel counterparts, with the added feature of being able to accommodate long-term stays,” he said.

Dusit Thani Residences Davao, the first in the Asia-Pacific region, is in line with the group’s efforts to provide more serviced residences options in the Philippines.

A report by Colliers International said the availability of direct flights from international locations to provincial destinations such as Davao make stopping in Metro Manila unnecessary.

Sparrow noted that Davao continues to increase its dominance as another key economic hub in the southern portion of the country.

“Being the country’s second largest and fastest growing city presents an opportunity for the entry of more international quality accommodations and amenities. Davao has a market that is ready for more high-end investments and accommodations, and we are confident that Dusit Thani’s experience and reputation will meet these expectations,” he added.