Plantation Bay supports Lapu's positioning as sports tourism hub

CEBU, Philippines - Plantation Bay Resort and Spa expressed support the bid of the local government of Lapu-Lapu City to become the center for Sports Tourism in the province, by providing sports related facilities inside the 12-hectare triple-A resort.

The resort’s general manager Efren Belarmino believes that the island should offer more than the beach and sun to provide tourists with diverse activities, and that sports-tourism is one of the emerging products that should be taken advantage of.

In fact, the resort is converting its tennis court for the upcoming Davis Cup that is schedule to take place in the resort in March.

The resort already offered other land and sea-based sports activities, such as Tennis, Triatlon and extreme sports facilities.

“There is a good potential to attract sport enthusiasts, as will also become tourists,” said Belarmino.

In the long term, Belarmino said the resort may offer more sports facilities inside the resort, as the market for this kind of activity is growing dramatically.

Aside from the growing Meetings, Incentives, Corporate and Exhibits (MICE) market, the resort is also banking on the growth of Sports Tourism.

Belarmino also noted the increasing number of Japanese wedding activities held at the resort, adding that there is a good indication that the Japanese tourists are coming back.

At present, the resort is running at an average of 90 percent occupancy rate, the good number is bolstered by the coming in of MICE guests, both from local and foreign markets.

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

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

These MICE visitors can also take advantage of the Sports facilities the resort is offering, and that strengthen the positioning of the Island as a premier Sport’s Tourism hub.

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

Over-all, Belarmino said the good outlook for tourism industry in Cebu has started to realize, with MICE as the main growth driver especially for resort establishments.

Hopefully, the positioning of the LGU to push Sports Tourism will take off soon, so that the dynamism of tourism industry here is be much sustained, he said.