After malls, ALI giving makeover to Seda Hotels, El Nido Resorts

MANILA, Philippines — The hospitality business of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is also getting a major makeover alongside the ongoing redevelopment of its major malls.

ALI president and CEO Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista-Dy said the property giant will undertake a reinvention of its Seda Hotels and El Nido Resorts.

“We will start with Lagen, which will close its doors momentarily in June to commence the most comprehensive renovation it has ever undergone,” she said.

Lagen is one of the resorts offered by the El Nido brand in Palawan, which also include Miniloc, Pangalusian and Apulit.

Citing the company’s confidence in the growing international leisure market, Bautista-Dy said the reinvention of its hotels and resorts is aimed at positioning ALI as the country’s preferred provider of globally competitive leisure destinations.

“We are positioning to grow our hospitality portfolio and we are investing in building our capabilities and repositioning our assets,” she said.

Bautista-Dy said new ALI vice president and head of hospitality George Aquino will lead the reinvention of the group’s Seda Hotels and El Nido Resorts.

Aquino, former vice president and managing director of AHC Hospitality, is a seasoned executive with more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality business.

“With his experience and passion for service, George is tasked to bolster our hospitality business by strengthening the distinctiveness of our very own Seda brand, optimizing asset returns, expanding our portfolio of brands and products and leveraging our hospitality expertise in other business lines,” Bautista-Dy said.

ALI’s hotel and resort revenues expanded by eight percent year-on-year to P2.3 billion in the first quarter.

The company is also reinventing its major malls through a P13-billion program that will see the redevelopment of Glorietta and Greenbelt in Makati, Trinoma in Quezon City and Ayala Center Cebu.

“We started the reinvention of our shopping malls. You can see by now that Greenbelt 1 has been closed for demolition. Board ups have been placed in Greenbelt 2, Glorietta 3 and Ayala Center Cebu in preparation for construction works. Next in the pipeline will be Trinoma,” Bautista-Dy said.

“You may have also noticed that some very prime spaces in Glorietta are undergoing merchant replacements. This is part of our merchant mix refresh which we are undergoing as an integral part of our mall reinvention,” she said.

The redevelopment, which is being undertaken to cater to the evolving consumer preference, is expected to be completed by 2028.