HRRAC backs ‘Bangon Tours’

CEBU, Philippines - Although the tour operators and members of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association in Cebu (HRRAC) have existing special rate packages to lure domestic and foreign tourists, the Cebu-based organization is expressing its support to the “Bangon Tours” initiative.

HRRAC president Cenelyn Manguilimotan told The FREEMAN yesterday that the organization will be connecting with the tour groups, especially the Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO), as well as the Department of Tourism (DOT) on offering special package designed for the “Bangon Tours” program.

According to Manguilimotan, while the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has scheduled to end the initiative in the first week of February this year, Cebu tourism stakeholders, however, are willing to extend such initiative.

“I heard about the initiative but really was not able to discuss it with DOT or CATO on how HRRAC can support.  HRRAC members will fully support the project but there should be clear guidelines on how to go about it,” said Manguilimotan, who is also the general manager of Parklane Hotel in Cebu.

She said HRRAC will set a meeting with DOT and CATO so that their programs will be in sync, and more attractive packages to be designed on this special program can be started in Cebu.

On the other hand, even without the implementation of “Bangon Tours”, Manguilimotan emphasized that tour operators and travel agencies have special rates from all the hotels and resorts in Cebu and that those rates and room allocations are at their disposal for all their special packages.

Likewise, hotels and resorts also have existing partnership with airline companies to offer good packages for both local and foreign travelers.

“Hotels and resorts will just extend special discounted rates to tour operators, travel agencies and airlines and it will be up to them on how to package and sell. We have contracted rates for them usually renewable every year but most hotels just give room allocations because we cannot sell hotel rooms at a super discounted rate,” added Manguilimotan.

Early this week, the Network of Independent Travel Agencies (NITAs) had already expressed its willingness to support the “Bangon Tours” initiative.

NITAs president Bobby Joseph said while its members are now doing special packages to help revitalize the travel interest of foreign and domestic tourists to disaster-affected areas, supporting a special project like “Bangon Tours” could be more effective.

The anticipated drop in foreign arrivals is one of the reasons the DOT, through the TPB, has launched “Bangon Tours”, a social tourism effort aimed at encouraging domestic travelers to visit major tourism destinations as a way to help in the rehabilitation and recovery of disaster stricken areas.

TPB initially identified 16 areas to be featured in Bangon Tours program, among which are Ilocos, Tuguegarao, Baguio, Batangas-Puerto Galera, Manila-Tagaytay, Puerto Princesa, Baler, Bicol, Cebu, Davao, Bohol, Iloilo, Boracay, Siargao, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, and Batanes.

Despite the cancellations of functions and group tour bookings after the earthquake in October and the super typhoon in November, Manguilimotan said Cebu was able to sustain good occupancy rates since the Christmas holidays and this month’s Sinulog Festival.

Meanwhile, Cebu provincial government tourism affairs consultant and former DOT-7 regional director Patria Aurora “Dawnie” Roa said more balikbayans this year are joining the “Suroy-Suroy Sugbo” event scheduled on January 22 to 24, after the Sinulog Festival.

This year’s program is being dubbed as the “2014 Southern Gateway” Suroy-Suroy Tour.

While the famous tourism destinations in Cebu are still in the process of rebuilding, stakeholders are now pushing to promote the southern gateway in Cebu, Roa said. /JMD (FREEMAN)