90% of Cebu hotels booked for 'Sinulog'

CEBU CITY — Hotels in Cebu City are filling up fast, with occupancy already hitting 90 percent as the Sinulog Festival kicks off this week, the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HHRAC) reported Sunday.

HHRAC president Mia Singson-Leon said many hotels, pension houses, and hostels — especially near Cebu Business Park and downtown along the procession routes — are nearly full, with some already sold out.

“If you check online, you’ll see that some hotels are completely booked,” she said, noting that most bookings are from domestic travelers, though international tourists are showing growing interest as well.

Despite a drop in reservations following the 30 September 2025 earthquake, Singson-Leon said demand for Sinulog weekend remains steady. “We had many cancellations after the calamities, but not for the Sinulog weekend,” she stressed.

The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DoT-7) expects hotel occupancy to reach 80 percent to 100 percent this January, thanks to the surge of visitors.

“We’re expecting around 300,000 visitors just this month. That’s not only because of Sinulog, but also balikbayans and early Christmas-season visitors,” said DoT-7 Regional Director Gelena-Asis Dimpas.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival estimates that four to five million people will come to Cebu for this year’s celebrations, with the peak expected on Fiesta Señor and the Sinulog Grand Parade on 18 January.