Taiwanese developer to build boutique hotel in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — A Taiwanese capitalist, who has started a hotel business in Luzon, is now looking at Cebu as one of his company’s target areas for expansion.

Johnson Yang, a property developer and educator in Taipei, Taiwan said that his company Golden Pillar International Development Inc., which recently opened a 45-room boutique hotel called Le Charmé Suites in Subic, is eyeing Cebu for its expansion move, owing to the province’s consistent leadership in the Philippine tourism.

According to Yang, the company is more interested in partnering with an existing hotel or a local developer to build or establish the first Le Charmè Suites here.

Le Charmè in Subic is its flagship property to kick off the company’s plan to establish a chain of Le Charmè facilities initially in the Philippines and Taiwan.

“We are looking for 80 to 100 rooms hotel property in Cebu for a joint venture deal,” said Yang, explaining that Cebu is a famous destination for Taiwanese golfers, aside from Subic and other parts in Pampanga.

The company is also willing to acquire or ink a merger with a hotel property owner in Cebu, whichever is convenient for both sides.

Aside from the volume of Chinese tourists coming from mainland China making the Philippines their vacation haven now, a growing number of affluent golfers from Taiwan have discovered the charm of the Philippines, particularly Angeles City in Pampanga, as well as Cebu, said Yang.

Yang, who also maintains a company in Taiwan, sees the big potential of the Philippines to attract Taiwanese sports enthusiasts to come to the Philippines.

Josephine Floresca, Grand Pillar chief executive officer, said after Cebu, the company is also looking at building Le Charmè boutique hotels in other tourism hubs in the country like Tagaytay, Baguio, Boracay. At least three to five hotels are being eyed in the next five years.

Earlier, developers were urged to build more hotels in Cebu in order to accommodate the fast-growing business and leisure travelers, with the aggressive push for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) events.

Real estate marketing specialist Anthony Gerard Leuterio said that he will convince his company’s partner-developers to build hotel projects, aside from residential and commercial condominiums, as Cebu’s problem in the short term is its ability to accommodate influx of more tourists.

The opening of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 (T2) is also seen to attract more foreign arrivals and airlines to open up more direct flights from different destinations around the world. (FREEMAN)