Cebu hotels and resorts slash room rates

CEBU, Philippines —  As more hotels and resorts are given the green light to resume full operations, operators announced attractive rate reduction for staycation getaways.

Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) president Carlo B. Suarez announced that room rates in Cebu have been slashed by as much as 30 percent to 50 percent lower than the usual rates. This is to encourage the domestic market to get the much needed relaxation, after over six months of staying home.

In fact, members of HRRAC are participating on the upcoming Great Cebu Sale on September 15 to October 15, 2020.

“We are ready for the new [better] normal,” said Suarez, who is also the general manager of Cebu Grand Hotel.

In the past few months, hotels and resorts experienced the lowest occupancy rate ever recorded in history. The highest is 10 percent, some had suffered zero occupancy.

Suarez said along with reduction of room rates, some hotels and resorts may also sell package vouchers that offer much lower rates with expanded expiry dates.

A high end resort on Mactan Island for instance is giving out P10,000 for a two nights, three days stay. This is thrice cheaper from standard rate of P16,000 to P20,000 published rates for standard accommodation in pre-pandemic times.

Following the transition of Cebu and other cities in Metro Cebu to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), about 95 percent of accommodation facilities, which are members of the organization, are now in full operation.

Some are still waiting for the required certification from the Department of Tourism (DOT).