Philippine hotels and resorts are expecting to see higher occupancies from domestic tourists this week as the country observes Holy Week, the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) said.
“I have been receiving feedback from our members that bookings are rising, which is very encouraging,” PHOA President Arthur Lopez said in a statement.
PHOA said that Holy Week has historically been a peak period for domestic travel in the Philippines
It explained that with the easing of inter-zonal travel requirements, Filipinos can take advantage of the long days off from work during the Holy Week by traveling to different destinations in the country.
The group said this has created strong demand both for city hotels and resorts.
“The high demand is a welcome development for the accommodation sector, which has been severely impacted by the pandemic in the last two years. The return to prepandemic levels will take a while but at least we are seeing stronger demand across different traveler segments,” Lopez added.
With greater mobility among travelers and higher operating capacity in hotels, PHOA said it will continue to strictly implement health and safety protocols among its members.
“We are committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable stay for all our guests. We will therefore ensure adherence to public health standards in the entire customer journey,” Lopez said.
PHOA is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1977. With 300 active members, it is the largest private group of hotel owners, investors and developers in the Philippine tourism industry