Crisis-hit hotel industry still sees growth

Published by rudy Date posted on May 4, 2009

The country’s hotel industry has not been spared from the effects of the global economic crisis as less people stay in hotels and serviced residences to make the most out of their hard-earned money.

According to global serviced residence operator Ascott Interanational, occupancy has gone down from last year until the first quarter of 2009, even for hotel companies which primarily serve corporate accounts.

“In terms of occupancy, over the first few months of this year, we’ve seen a decline of about five percent because some corporate accounts, especially in the export-oriented areas have closed,” said Ascott International’s country general manager for the Philippines Arthur Gindap.

Still, Gindap said corporate accounts are what helped the company hold up against the crisis as they tend to stay longer in serviced residences as compared to tourists.

Ascott has four high-end serviced residences in the Philippines, all in the Makati central business district: Somerset Millenium, Somerset Olympia, Somerset Salcedo, and Ascott Makati-the former Oakwood Premiere.

All four service a mix of 90 percent corporate accounts, and 10 percent leisure/tourist customers.

“We plan to maintain that mix for the long-term,” Gindap said.

To cope with the crisis, Ascott International’s sales and marketing director Joanne Golong-Gomez said the group is concentrating on improving its services to add value for their long-staying resident clients.

The company’s “As you like it” service for instance, offers clients the opportunity to customize their rooms, while the Ascott/Somerset Host service assigns a host or server to cater to the clients’ needs during her stay.

According to Golong-Gomez, the company is banking on the continued influx of business process outsourcing clients as growth drivers.

“We’re now looking at tapping other markets such as oil and mining companies, and even pharmaceutical firms,” she said.

The company expressed optimism that recovery will be felt in the latter part of 2009, and is even looking at expansion in the coming years.

For his part, Gindap said Ascott International may bring in its third “budget brand” Citadines as soon as market conditions stabilize.

Ascott International, a member of CapitaLand, is the largest global serviced residence operator in more than 60 cities in Asia Pacific, Europe and the guld region. –abs-cbnNEWS.com

July 2025

Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

July


3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 Ju
ly – International Plastic Bag Free Day
 
5 July –
World Youth Skills Day 
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day 
17 July – World Day for
International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons 


Monthly Observances:

Schools Safety Month

Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month

Weekly Observances:

Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week

 

Daily Observances:

First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.