MICE bookings push hotel occupancy rates in Mactan

CEBU, Philippines - Hotels and resorts in Mactan Island are enjoying high occupancy rates as Cebu slowly gains ground as a preferred destination for the Meetings, Incentives, Corporate and Exhibits (MICE) market.

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa general manager Efren Belarmino said that the 256-room triple-A resort is averaging a 90 percent occupancy rate during the last few weeks, not because of the Sinulog-related guests, but due to the increasing MICE bookings from both local and foreign customers.

“It’s a good start for 2011, MICE is taking off,” Belarmino said adding that what strengthens the expectation of good occupancy performance for the rest of the year is the emerging Korean MICE market.

For her part, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa communications director Mildred Amon said that the resort is expecting a good number of MICE bookings in the next few months, although as early as now, the resort is already hitting a high occupancy rate for its total 547 luxury room accommodations.

According to Belarmino while Cebu has been very popular for Korean family and honeymoon travelers, the market has now expanded to the large group of MICE and leisure bookings from Korea.

One group of MICE and leisure booking could already bring in at least 100 persons for an average stay of four days and three nights, Belarmino said.

Aside from the pre-arranged package business, MICE market is a good tool to further market Cebu as a leisure destination.

Belarmino said the good tourism sector projection for Cebu is starting, taking into consideration the strong bookings in the next few months from corporate travels of big multinational companies.

Historically, this time of the year, especially during the Sinulog Week, the occupancy rate of most resorts will only hit the 70 percent level. But this time, averaging at 90 percent is a good indication that the tourism market is starting to recover, following the global economic crisis.

Meanwhile, Plantation Bay is also noting the comeback of the Japanese market. Today, Cebu is starting to regain its popularity as the wedding destination for Japanese nationals.

Overall, Belarmino said the good outlook for the tourism industry in Cebu is slowly being realized with MICE as the main growth driver especially for resort establishments.

At present, Plantation Bay’s top three markets are the Koreans, Japanese, and the American travelers, including the Balikbayans.

Belarmino hopes that aside from the MICE market, the bid of the Lapu-Lapu local government to push the Sports Tourism edge can also help push for the full recovery of the tourism industry after it experienced a minimal decline due to the global recession last year.