MANILA, Philippines — The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines is set to hold a month-long online sale to support the pandemic-stricken travel sector.
Dubbed “S.O.S.” or “September Online Sale,” the HSMA brought back the big travel sale to help revive tourism in the country and encourage Filipinos to rediscover local destinations.
Benjie Martinez, HSMA president and area director of Sales & Marketing for Bayleaf Hotels cited that Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat last year reported that 4.8 million tourism workers were affected by the economic setback brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the tourism industry contributing 12.7% to the Gross Domestic Product of the country, the hotel group decided to bring back the travel sale to help tourism workers get back on their feet.
The group also seeks to cater to pent-up travelers who wish to embark on domestic trips as soon as the travel restrictions ease up.
“We must turn lives around towards enlivening people’s daily grind. We must aid people to begin to believe that relaxation is a must. It is no longer a luxury but one of the many necessities of surviving the stresses of the times,” Margie Munsayac, HSMA board chair said during the SOS media launch last week.
“So with our SOS program, we are truly responding to a real SOS.. a cry from our stressed clients… sometimes silent, sometimes even unrealized. So colleagues, let’s bring on the SOS,” she added.
Longer travel sale, more offerings
From a two-week sale last year, the hotel group extended the travel sale and made it month-long. It would be held from September 15 to October 15 this year.
The HSMA added that the online sale expanded offerings, adding food and beverage packages and other hospitality services to the hotel vacation packages.“We are also including the ancillary services of the properties such as restaurants, bars, banquet packages, spa, gym and pool, and other facilities of the hotel, making this year’s campaign more thrilling and inviting,” Martinez said.
A total of 80 hotels and resorts nationwide will be participating in this year’s SOS.They are offering more than a hundred deals and discounts of up to 70% off from key destinations within Metro Manila and throughout the country, including: Manila, Pasay, Parañaque, Ortigas, Pasig, Quezon City, Makati, BGC, Alabang, Cavite, Laguna, Bataan, Clark, Ilocos, Baguio, Boracay, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan and Davao.
The HSMA said the discounted packages are sold in the form of e-vouchers that can be used in a span of a year from the date of purchase, and may be extended upon request.
“Even if it’s one year, we've advised the hotels to be flexible especially if the situation does not improve. We asked them to extend if possible after the one year,” Martinez said.
The public can access the travel sale and view the full list of participating hotels and resorts, and their available offers and packages on the HSMA website via the link hsma.org.ph/sos.
The offerings and packages may be availed through secured online payment platforms such as GCash, PayMaya and GrabPay.
To ensure the safety of both guests and employees of these accommodation establishments, the Department of Tourism is working with hotels and resorts in implementing health and safety protocols.
"Inoculating our tourism front-liners all over the country will be a key factor in reopening the industry, as well as restoring the public's confidence to travel, translating to higher socio-economic activities and boosting our recovery prospects. I call for public and private entities to practice the Bayanihan spirit in furthering the vaccination of our tourism workers," Puyat said.
GCQ with Alert level 4 guidelines
On Tuesday, the DOT clarified that National Capital Region residents who are below 18 and over 65 years old shall not be permitted to leave their residences for the purpose of leisure travel following Alert Level 4 guidelines. This quarantine phase would be effective until September 30.
It added that under the current guidelines, outdoor or al fresco dine-in will be allowed at 30% venue capacity while indoor dine-in will be allowed at 10% only for fully-vaccinated individuals.
On the other hand, all tourism-related establishments in the NCR that specialized markets of the DOT, such as staycations, indoor visitor or tourist attractions, and indoor venues for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) are prohibited under Alert level 4.
Puyat reported that 99% of tourism workers employed in hotels across Metro Manila have been vaccinated.
“All in all, tourism workers in NCR, including those in DOT-accredited restaurants recorded a 94 percent vaccination rate. This is an added assurance, not only to the safety of our guests, but our tourism workers as well," Puyat said.
She also welcomed the resumption of dine-in services.
"Allowing fully vaccinated guests to dine in restaurants located inside DOT-accredited hotels and restaurants will slowly help restart the economy while making sure all our tourism workers and guests are safe,” the tourism chief said.
Despite this gradual reopening of the economy and amid the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the tourism secretary reminded the public to “observe the minimum health and safety protocols at all times."