50 hotels ready soon — PHOA

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) said despite most of its members still falling short of their pre-pandemic sales, more hotel projects are in the pipeline.

“In the next five years, we want to add 15,000 hotel rooms to the current 40,000 rooms. It’s about 50 hotel projects, so it’s a good sign, and of course, we continue to look for opportunities,” Benito Bengzon Jr., executive director of PHOA, said.

For his part, PHOA president Arthur Lopez stressed that they are counting on the diligence of the Department of Tourism to attain the targeted 7.7 million tourist arrivals so that the hotel industry will benefit from the surge of international visitors.

“We are positive about the number of guests coming in in the future, as well as tourist arrivals. What we need are hotels, as there are occasions when we cannot find enough rooms for our guests, especially in the NCR. Also, we need better infrastructure for our hotels in the rural areas because sometimes it takes time to bring our guests to the hotel. We need to make it convenient for our guests. But we are confident that this will improve,” Lopez explained.

TIEZA collaboration set

PHOA on Tuesday announced their collaboration with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the Philippine Tourism and Hotel Investment Summit on 21 June 2024 at the New World Makati Hotel, Makati City.

“This Summit is a momentous occasion for all of us in the tourism and hotel industry. It provides an excellent opportunity not only to network but to share insights and strategies towards sustainable development and growth,” Lopez said.

Also, the event aims to promote tourism and hotel investments and advocate for sustainable tourism in the Philippines.

Expected to draw around 250 delegates, the summit includes a conference to be attended by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco as keynote speaker.

It will have panel discussions on vital issues, emerging trends, and investment opportunities in the tourism and hotel industry.

The summit will also have an exhibition with 30 companies showcasing a wide range of products and services including hotel equipment, energy efficiency solutions, spa and wellness offerings, and digital technology.

Aside from TIEZA and the Department of Tourism, other sponsors of the summit include the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the Tourism Promotions Board.

The conference also brings together hotel owners and developers, government officials, business associations, investment groups, and other tourism industry stakeholders in a platform for meaningful conversations that will shape the future of the sector.