Davao hotels boost occupancy rate

DAVAO CITY — An increase in the occupancy rate of various hotels in Davao City was noted during the four-day break from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, marking the annual All Saints’ Day.

"There has been a change in the trend nowadays. Instead of people spending the holidays inside their house, they have already been coming out and spending money, like staying in hotels," Davao Waterfront Insular Hotel manager Hembler Mendoza said.

Mendoza said that from only 45 percent occupancy rate for the same period last year, the 150-room resort hotel has registered 65 percent occupancy during the lengthened break. Hopefully, these would be the same trend for the coming Christmas holidays. "We have already lined up activities that would make people stay in our hotel to spend Christmas with us," Mendez said.

The same was true for the Marco Polo Hotel here which also registered 65 percent compared to the 30 percent occupancy record of the 250-room city hotel for the same period last year. Marco Polo Hotel sales manager Art Boncato also attributed the increase in the occupancy to the local residents who opted to stay in hotels rather than stay home during the long holiday.

"Actually we have put up a very attractive promotional package during the long break and people, especially the locals, have responded positively," Boncato told The STAR.

The 130-room Royal Mandaya Hotel also noted an increase in its occupancy over the weekend from only 30 percent in the same period last year to over 50 percent since Thursday until yesterday.

Glen Escandor, general manager of the Royal Mandaya Hotel, said figure in the past years were really low. "The various activities we have initiated during the Halloween celebrations also added to the attractions we had to entice people to stay in our hotels," Escandor said.

Grand Regal Hotel, which has 217 rooms, also registered a high 70 percent occupancy rate for the past weekend. "The occupancy rate this time is very encouraging compared to the same period last year," Grand Regal Hotel public relations manager Rowena Regalado said. — Edith Regalado