Some delegates sharing rooms owing to high hotel rates

CEBU, Philippines - Some delegates of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings are sharing hotel rooms as an offshoot of the alleged pricey hotel rates in Cebu.

This was disclosed by APEC 2015 Senior Officials’ Meeting chairperson Laura Del Rosario in a press briefing yesterday.

“Except those who have to stay in the expensive hotels. They do sharing. In some cases, triple sharing ‘coz it’s the only way to break down the cost,” she said, explaining that the delegates are just being “very creative” in looking for solutions.

On August 7, it was del Rosario who expressed the concerns of APEC member economies of “inflated” hotel rooms in Cebu for the meetings.   Del Rosario said delegates have complained that some have imposed as much as a 120 percent increase from rates published earlier.

She said APEC delegates are staying at three-star and four-star hotels.

“(The hotels where the delegates are staying are) very good enough, but not one of those that I criticized,” she said.

She said that after she made the pricey rates public, some hotels have offered “friendly rates.”

“But then of course, there are some hotels which gave friendly hotel rates. So, they were able to attract a lot of delegates to stay there. As a whole, it’s as though, we were given a choice now of the possible hotels where we will stay,” she said.

“In my case, I look for the best rate. It was the one that I thought the best rate, considering the quality,” she said, adding, in jest, that her room was “beautified” after she raised the issue.

When asked if she will still recommend Cebu for Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions (MICE), she said “as long as there is reasonable price.”

“It’s not only Cebu (that can host MICE). It’s everywhere. Please don’t think I’m picking on Cebu. I think every city should realize that they have to be competitive,” she said.

Del Rosario said season travellers do not go for one city but for places with a “different brand.”

Cebu is hosting the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting since August 22 to September 6 this year. Around 3,000 delegates are participating in the meetings. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/JMO (FREEMAN)