Saturday, March 1, 2014

...the hotel growth area

International luxury hotel operators gravitate to PH


By Tessa R. Salazar
Philippine Daily Inquirer


TO FURTHER accommodate the growing number of visitors, more hotels are slated to be constructed within Newport City by 2016.

Marco Polo Hotels, Ascott The Residence, Maxims Genting, City of Dreams, Solaire Resort and Casino, Hyatt, Marriot Manila, Shangrila Hotels and Resorts, Conrad Hotels and Resorts, The Westin Philippine Plaza Manila, Hilton, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.
 
These are just some of the international luxury hotel operators that would either come into the country or experience boom times from 2014 to 2017, as forecast by CBRE Philippines during a Jan. 23 press briefing in Makati. It also reported that luxury hotel accommodations would play a major role in the hospitality sector, and that MICE (meetings, investments, conventions and exhibits) locations would pick up their businesses, and gaming establishments would draw in more foreign guests.
 
Property analyst Enrique M. Soriano III said, “Retail and hotels will likely post solid growth as employment and spending in the domestic front continue.”
 
The Colliers International market overview (for 4Q 2013) predicted that in the next three years, up to 4,300 rooms would be “delivered” annually, the highest number since 1988.
 
“Meanwhile, local real estate firms are entering the hotel and leisure sector, as SM Prime Holdings, Ayala Land and Robinsons Land introduce their new projects slated for completion in the next three years,” noted Colliers International Philippines Research. It added that last year, 1,372 new hotel rooms opened in Metro Manila, bringing the total room inventory to 17,517.
More branches expected
 
Jones Lang La Salle, in its JLL 2014 property market monitor, singled out Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), which recently opened its seventh Go Hotel branch in Iloilo City. This one has 167 rooms
JLL forecasts more of such branches to be built over the next few years as RLC has offered the brand for franchise. In particular, Singapore-based Vanguard Hotels Pte. Ltd., in partnership with Roxaco Land Corp., is set to construct at least five new branches in the next two years.
 
JLL also cited residential property developer Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., which plans to venture into hotel and resort development. According to the firm, the planned venture is mainly supported by the strong performance of the tourism industry. The firm has formed a new unit that would focus on the development of hotels and resorts, likely starting in 2015.
 
40% at Entertainment City
 
Colliers International Philippines’ comprehensive report indicated that of the 4,120 rooms to be completed in 2014, more than 40 percent would be concentrated within the Pagcor Entertainment City, such as Belle Grand City of Dreams (920 rooms) and the surrounding Mall of Asia Complex, such as Radisson Hotel (500 rooms) and Tune Hotel (204 rooms).
 
It also revealed a new player in the hotel and leisure market—Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels—one of the leading hotel groups in China, with two projects slated for turnover in 2014, the Jin Jiang Inn Ortigas (95 rooms) located beside Richmonde Hotel and the Jin Jiang Inn Greenbelt (70 rooms) located opposite New World Hotel Makati.
 
“As the government strives to reach its foreign tourist arrivals target of 10 million in 2016, local real estate firms are joining the hotel and leisure sector to augment the accommodation needs of foreign travelers,” reported Colliers.
 
It added that the Carlson Rezidor Group had partnered with the SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) to launch the 150-room Park Inn by Radisson in Clark, Pampanga. This project is set for completion in 2016.
 
Colliers also observed that Ayala Land, through its hotel and resort corporation, had launched two new Seda hotels in its emerging mixed-use developments in Vertis North and Circuit Makati, both of which would be operational in the next three years.
 
RLC, for its part, aims to complete 1,200 rooms in its portfolio by 2014 by launching three Go Hotels—one in Ortigas Center, another in Butuan and one in Iloilo.
 
Decreased layovers
 
CBRE reported an 11-percent growth rate of tourist arrivals as of October 2013 (year-on-year) and possibly exceeding 4.5 million for the whole year.
 
Despite the increase, it estimates that the average hotel occupancy rate dipped from 67 percent in 2012 to 64 percent in 2013.
 
CBRE said: “This may be attributed to the increasing number of international flights to airports outside of Manila, thereby reducing the need to layover in Manila and easing the access to other major tourist destinations in the country like Boracay Island. The Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, manager of the second largest airport in the country, reported a 15-percent increase year-on-year in the number of international flights at the airport from January to October this year from 3,972 to 4,581 flights.”
 
Hotel rates
 
Colliers also reported that growing interest in the Philippines as a tourist destination and a business investment option has been driving hotel room rates to consistently increase in Metro Manila.
 
It pointed to the trend that average five-star room rates had grown by 3.7 percent to $333 per night in the second half of 2013, versus the 1.1-percent increase in the first half of that year. Four-star room rates increased slightly by 1.1 percent in the second half to $273 per night.
 
On the other hand, three-star room rates continued to improve significantly at 9.5 percent half-on-half, 250 basis points higher than the 7-percent growth posted in the last period. This can be attributed to the increasing number of local and foreign tourists seeking quality accommodation at affordable prices. Meanwhile, corporate rates grew considerably across all classifications at an annual average of 15 percent.

 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

...the Pinay behind Malaysia's jingle

Voice behind Malaysia’s tourism jingle is Pinay

  
Kuala Lumpur – Many Pinoys can recognize the tune of the tourism jingle – Malaysia, Truly Asia – played many times on cable television. But not many know that the voice behind it is a Filipina singer who has become a Malaysian citizen. And fewer people know that she is one of the many Filipinos abroad who had led fund-raising campaigns to help the victims of super-typhoon “Yolanda.”




She is Maria Jazsmine, who remains a Filipino at heart. After leading a fund-raising campaign for the victims, she is now planning to establish a library for the children of Tacloban, one of the hardest hit areas.

“I’ve always said that we must not forget about the Philippines. We are still in the period of recovery,” Maria said in a media interview in Kuala Lumpur.

Raising Funds

“I’m in the midst of collaborating with many kind-hearted people who want to raise more funds for typhoon Haiyan. And I am so blessed to meet them after I spearheaded the ‘Artists United for Typhoon Haiyan’. I think we have raised more than a million for Tacloban,” the singer said.

Starting A Library

“Hopefully I would get the support of the government, or the private sector, or an NGOs to start a library in Tacloban. There are people who are willing to reach out and do more for our country,” she added.

While she appreciates the outpouring of aid to typhoon-hit Philippines, Maria Jazsmine pushed for the healing of the communities “as best as we can.” She admitted that one of her advocacies is protecting the welfare of orphan children.

Malaysia Tourism’s Voice

Maria Jazsmine put a voice to “Malaysia, Truly Asia” as part of the worldwide marketing campaign of Malaysia in 1999. Recently, she put a voice to “Heart of Blue,” another tourism campaign of the Malaysia Tourism Board.



Maria Jazsmine admitted that she is “flattered and honored” to sing the Malaysian tourism song that has been widely featured on CNN.

She recalled that she sang “Malaysia, Truly Asia” from the heart since Malaysia is home to different people and cultures.

“I really love Malaysia because they’ve been really good to me,” she said.

“I was easy to relate and to give the feeling of how Malaysia can really be ‘Truly Asia’. It’s multi-cultural, different religions, so it’s so colorful. I have to bring that out in my voice,” she added.

To date, Malaysia continues to use the popular jingle and its other versions to attract tourists.

Humility

Maria Jazsmine, also a ballet dancer, also revealed that she has been able to easily adjust to life in Malaysia mainly due to humility and an understanding of other people’s culture.

“I always believe that service starts with humility. When you humble yourself and just be true to yourself, the doors will open,” she said. “If you want to have peace, you just have to understand and tolerate,” she added.

...the Survivor Cagayan

Survivor’s Cagayan edition to air in 156 countries

              
SANTA ANA, Cagayan , Philippines — The 28th series of the American reality-TV show Survivor, which was filmed entirely in Palaui Island here last year, will be shown in at least 156 countries over international television networks.
  




Lope Juban Jr., president of the Philippine Film Studios, Inc., which took part in the production of the series from March to August last year, said that Philippine viewers can catch the show over JackTV.
According to Juban, however, the Survivor’s Palaui series titled Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty, produced by Mark Burnett with Jeff Probst as host, debuted in the US yesterday.

The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) facilitated the filming of Survivor as part of its tourism development and investment plans for the economic zone, which covers this once-obscure fishing town and parts of the Aparri islets.

Palaui, an idyllic island located northeast off Luzon along the West Philippine Sea, is described as one of the world’s best beaches and eco-tourism destinations because of its unparalleled natural beauty and rich biodiversity.

Last year, CNN Travel adjudged Palaui Island as one of the world’s 10 Best Beaches, the only one from the Philippines and the entire Southeast Asia to make it in the prestigious list.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Among the Palaui areas included in the filming of the Survivor 28th series were the scenic Anguib Beach, Pozo Robo Beach, Siwangag Cove and the centuries-old Spanish built Cape Engano Cove.

The production group had its first shooting day at Anguib Beach for the previous season — Blood vs Water (27th season) and Survivor Cagayan (28th season) on May 19, 2013.

The Survivor’s preparation and filming, which involved some 500 international and local production crew, lasted for seven months.

Nilo Aldeguer, CEZA senior deputy administrator, said that the producers of the Survivor series, spent at least P300M for its entire production, wherein 60 percent went to hotel and accommodations, while the rest was spent for talent fees and salaries of participants and production crew as well as incidental expenses.

 

...the Asia's most powerful women

Tessie Sy, Vivian Que among Asia's 50 most powerful bizwomen


Rappler.com
Posted on 02/27/2014                                               
SECOND-GENERATION WOMEN. Sy family's Tessie and Que family's Vivian are among Asia's most powerful businesswomen this year, according to Forbes magazine. Photo from Forbes websiteSECOND-GENERATION WOMEN. Sy family's Tessie and Que family's Vivian are among Asia's most powerful businesswomen this year, according to Forbes magazine. Photo from Forbes website
MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino women – one leading the Philippines' largest mall chain, and the other, the country's largest drugstore chain – made it to Forbes' 2014 list of Asia's 50 most powerful businesswomen.

Teresita Sy-Coson, 63, vice chairman of SM Investments Corporation, and Vivian Que-Azcona, president of Mercury Drug, are on the elite list of women who are "driving change across diverse industries" in the region, Forbes said.

A statement by Forbes and its print edition named the two, but its site only lists Sy-Coson. The online list shows 48 of the 50 women.

Sy-Coson is the eldest child and heir apparent of Henry Sy Sr, the Philippines' richest man. She has a net worth of $12 billion in 2013, also according to Forbes.

Before heading their holding company, Sy-Coson headed two of its most profitable units: SM's retail operations and its banking arm Banco de Oro Unibank Incorporated, the Philippines' largest bank by assets.

Aside from BDO and retail, SM Investments now proudly owns Southeast Asia's largest property firm, SM Prime Holdings.

SM Prime is the surviving entity in the mega merger of the SM Group's property firms last year. From just holding malls, SM Prime's portfolio now includes residential projects, hotels, and convention centers.

On the other hand, Que-Azcona is the daughter of Mariano Que, founder of Mercury Drug, which now has 900 stores nationwide.

Que-Azcona was listed as the highest taxpayer in the Philippines in 2012, and her family was number 19 on the Forbes' rich list with a net worth of $840 million.

Forbes describes the 50 women on the list as those "who are driving change across diverse industries" in the region.

The women were selected based on criteria such as company revenue, their position at their companies, and their involvement in the running of daily operations.

Women from 13 countries are represented on the list. Women from China and Hong Kong again dominated this year’s list with 16 listees, followed by India with 7. Singapore and Australia each have 4 women on this year’s list, while Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam each have 3.

Philippines, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan each have 2 women on the list. Malaysia and New Zealand each have one woman on the list. – Rappler.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

...the Nick's Favorite Asian Act nominee

Kapamilya star, Anne Curtis nominated in the Favorite Asian Act category in Nickelodeon award show


The Global Dispatch
Robert Herrimsn
25 February 2014
 
 
The Philippines “Princess of All Media”, Anne Curtis is among the nominees in the Favorite Asian Act category in Nickelodeon’s 27th annual Kids’ Choice Awards.
 
Image/Anne Curtis Instagram
Image/Anne Curtis Instagram
 
The excited “Philippine’s National Sweetheart” went to Twitter to say, “Ecstatic to be nominated at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2014 as Favorite Asian Act!!!!
 
 
 
She will be competing against G.E.M. of China, Coboy Junior of Indonesia, and Lisa Surihani of Malaysia in the category.
 
The announcement comes just days after Anne revealed on It’s Showtime her new concert, “The Forbidden Concert Round 2: AnneKapal” and corresponding new album, ”The Forbidden Album”, all due to happen in May.
 
Nickelodeon’s 27th annual Kids’ Choice Awards will be hosted by Mark Wahlberg and will take place on March 29 at University of Southern California’s Galen Center. It will be aired in the Philippines on March 31.