By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
HOTELS in Manila and Cebu are expected to be the main beneficiaries of greater flight connectivity over the year-end holidays, the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) said.
“The destinations that will perform the strongest will be the ones with the most flights. So, Manila and Cebu will continue to get the bulk,” PHOA Executive Director Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of an event late Monday.
Strong demand is also expected for in Bohol, Palawan, Boracay, and Siargao over the holidays, also due to the airline capacity dedicated to these destinations, he added.
In the nine months to September, international passenger traffic rose 40.5% to 20.41 million, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board.
“The holiday season has traditionally been a very strong period for hotels. We see a lot of inbound tourist traffic coming from foreigners and of course, from balikbayans,” Mr. Bengzon said. “So, the strong demand helps keep our occupancy rates at a very comfortable level.”
Mr. Bengzon is also expecting “very good” revenues over the remainder of the year, though they have not yet exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
“When you look at the 2023 figures, you’re talking about 5.5 million (visitors). So, there’s still a gap that has to be addressed,” he said, citing data from the Department of Tourism.
“And until such time that we go back to the 8.2 million foreign visitors, the revenues will not be quite the same as they were in 2019.”
“One thing that we have to consider is that the international flights to the Philippines have increased. That should be good for the hotels.”
Mr. Bengzon also noted a stronger recovery in the Philippines’ major source markets, such as the US, Japan, and South Korea.
As of Oct. 1, foreign tourist arrivals rose 9.76% year on year to 4.88 million, the Department of Tourism reported. The government target is 7.7 million foreign arrivals for 2024.