Cebu hotel completes facility expansion, braces for MICE

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano-owned Sarrosa International Hotel and Residential Suites recently completed its function room and ballroom expansion in preparation for the promising MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibits) market.

Developed and managed by Duracon Construction Corporation, the hotel has expanded its ballroom capacity to 500 people, while 11 event rooms were also upgraded to accommodate mini-MICE events, said hotel's general manager Jun a. Perocillo III.

Moreover, the hotel firm will open a second business hotel project adjacent to the location of Sarrosa in Kasambagan, this city. The project will further boost the company’s hotel business.

Although, the 17-year-old hotel, had been able to corner majority of the government accounts, Mendoza said it will also make its strong penetration in the profitable corporate MICE market.

Sarrosa recently appointed Janice Magsumbol as director for sales to focus on hitting the big corporate MICE market.

He said, aside from its expanded capacity of ballroom accommodation, the hotel plans to invest more on providing more function rooms.

The upcoming opening of the company's new 200-room sister hotel will address Sarrosa's anticipated problem on accommodating increasing number of MICE bookings.

Mendoza said the Sarrosa International Hotel is joining the entire hospitality industry in Cebu in preparing for the influx of MICE related bookings in the near term, saying MICE upswing movement is even evident right now.

Aside from the lucrative MICE market, Mendoza said the company is also intensifying its market hold on individual bookings, through its strong connection with online booking agents like Agoda, among others.

The hotel noted the strong recovery of the Japanese market, although Korean nationals are still the number one in the hotel's guests' list.

Currently, the 250-room hotel is also strong in attracting the long-staying guest market, with its available 50 residential suits. These are customers who stay for at least six months in the residential unit.

While the hotel invested in expanding event accommodations, it also simultaneously upgraded its food and beverage service offer, through its anchor restaurant called "City Dine Restaurant" capitalizing also on the active dine-out market in Cebu.

Moreover, in order to build-up further name in the market, Mendoza announced its local promotion package for early-bird bookers, reducing overnight room rate from P3,750 to P2,288 with breakfast for two, until December of this year.—   Ehda M. Dagooc (FREEMAN)