Parklane strengthens niche, capitalizes on Cebu's "best"

CEBU, Philippines - While tourism is expected to fuel Cebu’s economic backbone in the long term, Cebuano-owned Cebu Parklane International Hotel is strengthening its niche capitalizing on Cebu’s “best” as its iconic advantage.

Cebu Parklane International Hotel, will be the first hotel in the province to showcase Cebu’s pride, in food, services, to strengthen its niche in the very competitive accommodation sector in Cebu.

First, the 241-room hotel will be opening its restaurant called “Kan.anan” that will offer Cebuano-known foods, in a hotel ambiance. With food serving varies from salads such as Latu-Lutt-Gusu, popular specialty food like Lansyaw and Balbakuwa, among others.

 The hotel’s general manager Cenelyn Maguilimotan, said it is high time that the hotel will stress its niche in the market, by recognizing all-Cebuano tastes from service, food, as well as ambiance, without sacrificing the hotel’s world-class standard.

In fact, Parklane will soon be launching a program that will support the countryside food industries, by showcasing the different delicacies from other Cebu towns that will be featured in the hotel’s restaurants.

“We recognized that the distinct Cebuano hospitality,” Manguilimotan said adding that the program that Parklane will be coordinating with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be called “Sangka sa Kaha.”

She said the hotel will be utilizing the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) list of the DTI for the different delicacies in each town, and Parklane will feature different specialty food/dishes in each town all-year-round.

Running at a high average occupancy rate of 80 percent, she said the tourism dynamism in Cebu has continued to post higher gains, thus the hotel is bracing for the “best” to come in this sector.

Year-to-date the hotel is posting 79 percent average occupancy rate, boosted by the growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) market, both locally and internationally organized.

Part of the major plan, is to re-invent the hotel emphasizing the distinct “Cebuano” hospitality in its service and offerings.

The five-year-old Cebu Parklane International Hotel started its physical facelift, in order to re-align its new thrust, in showcasing Cebuano hospitality.

The competitive accommodation service sector in Cebu has also been slightly threatened by the entry of more condominium units for “rent” in both long and short stay accommodations.

However, she said hotel services still one of the preferred choices of visitors, because of its complete service offerings. (FREEMAN)