CEBU, Philippines - Cebu resorts enjoy remarkably high occupancy rates during the long weekend as foreign and domestic travelers flocked here to make the most out of the long break.
Angela Emphasis, public relations manager of Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, said that the resort has a 96% occupancy rate during the long weekend which was mostly composed of Koreans.
Noteworthy during the break was the upsurge on locals who occupied 10% of the rooms, she added.
Because of the Palace’s aggressive marketing strategies aimed at attracting the local market, Emphasis further noted that the number of locals who stayed in the resort is even 7% higher than the Japanese who only accounted 3% of the total occupancy rate during the holiday.
“The market during the long weekend was composed of Koreans, Japanese and delightfully, a surge on locals. It is still the same market but with more options. What really matters is that the local market is already paying a greater attention to the Palace,” she said.
Imperial Palace is the country’s first five-star waterpark resort with a total of 556 rooms.
Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort reported close to 100% occupancy rate during the long weekend.
According to its Marketing Communications Manager Aileen Quijano, the high occupancy was driven by the foreign market mostly composed of Japanese, Korean and European nationals.
The domestic market, on the other hand, accounted 30% of the market share of the resort, she said.
Even with the high demand, Quijano clarified that the resort did not increase its rates.
Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, on the other hand, recorded an average occupancy rate of 86% from October 31 to November 4.
According to Hannah Patalinghug, the resort’s public relations associate, November 2 posted the highest occupancy rate during the long weekend with 98.04% which was followed by 90.12% rate of the first day of November.
She said that 90% of the total 256 rooms were booked for accommodations over the long break.
The market mix, she added, were mostly comprised of Koreans, Filipinos from all over the country and balikbayans. — (FREEMAN)