Saturday, October 11, 2008 Popularity of German fest celebration growing - hotel
ALL beer kegs are lined up tonight at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu for the grand celebration of Oktoberfest 2008.
With ticket for tonight’s event almost gone, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu General Manager Hans Hauri said that the public has finally caught on Germany’s beer festival.
“Every year, we see a much stronger crowd. Yearly, more people are coming in and joining in on the Oktoberfest activities,”
said Hauri.
While strong crowds of locals join in the beer festivities, more Europeans flock the hotel during the Oktoberfest celebration.
“Mostly, it is Europeans who come to the hotel for the festival,” said Hauri.
Increasing
Hauri said the European crowd continues to grow, now that word has gone around that the hotel flies in an authentic Bavarian band, the Bavarian Sound Express, yearly to provide a German touch to the festivities.
“In 2006, there were only about 125 bookings for the Oktoberfest. You can just imagine that we were already tearing our hair out. But as festivities started that night, the crowd reached of more than 200, because they all called their friends. They could not believe that we had the Bavarian Sound Express with us,” said Hauri.
Yearly, the crowds increase and people have been looking forward to the Oktoberfest at the hotel, said Hauri.
“I think, it has sunk in that the Oktoberfest has become an event that everybody must attend,” added Hauri.
With crowds growing, Hauri hopes to eventually replicate the entire Okto-berfest scene in Bavaria.
“One day, I would try to find a level ground to set up a big tent and replicate the scene in Bavaria,” said Hauri.
However, that would only happen once they reach attendance of more than 800.
For now, the Oktoberfest will be held indoors, said Hauri.
“It’s safer. You do not have to worry about the weather. While you are outdoors, you are facing with a whole new set of challenges and you never know how the weather turns out,” said Hauri.
This year’s Oktoberfest at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu would be different, he added.
“One big factor is that it would be different because of the band. The Bavarian Sound Express has a new member. The moment they go out from the traditional folk music and into the international scene, then that would be amazing,” said Hauri.
The Bavarian Sound Express said that tonight’s festivities would be different from last year’s.
“This year’s Oktoberfest will totally different and unique, that’s for sure,” said band member Andreas Sommerfeld. (EPB)
