Foreign resort developers eyeing properties in Cebu

A French resort chain, Club Med (Club Méditerranée) has explored Cebu, for a possible establishment of a resort facility here.

Department of Tourism (DOT) chief Joseph Ace Durano said that a team of officers from Club Med recently came to look out for a possible expansion here. However, the group prefers to take over an existing property.

At this time, Durano said there is no resort property that is being offered for sale and that the group is still on the process of looking for what they want.

What is important, he said is more and more international chains have expressed their interest to be present in Cebu.

Club Med is owned by a French corporation that manages vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in highly exotic locations.

It is seen by many as having started the all-inclusive-resort concept, which is now a popular vacationing style for people of all ages.

Early this year, three international hotels expressed interest to have their presence in Cebu, but still looking for right partner, and right site.

Thailand base Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Raffles Hotels and Resorts, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, will soon open their respective hotel or resort facilities in Cebu, as officials of these three companies have already expressed interest to invest here.

“Just like Banyan Tree Hotels, Club Med is on the same level of interest. Although Club Med would prefer to take over an existing resort property” Durano told The Freeman in an interview.

A total of about 3,000 new rooms will be added to the entire Central Visayas region, including Boracay area this year, of which over 1,000 will be set up within Cebu province.

The over 1,000 rooms, as an additional to the existing 12,000 room accommodations in Cebu, will be those hotels or resorts that will be operational within this year, not including the resorts or hotels that are only being constructed, like the Imperial Palace in Mactan Island, which will open next year yet.

“These [new rooms] are what we call ‘relevant rooms’ that are sellable to the international market, offering three-star, to five-star service standard,” Durano said in an interview.

Currently, there are four international hotel chain operating in Cebu, these include; Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Cebu City Marriott Hotel, Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa.

Including accommodations offered by resorts and hotels around Cebu province, the Island has a total accommodation of about 10,000 rooms. Throughout the entire Central Visayas it has a total of 14,000 room accommodation.