DESPITE the global financial crisis, the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel Cebu maintains a stable outlook but with modest expectations for 2009.
The hotel reported to have ended 2008 with a 70-percent occupancy rate and an eight-percent increase in revenues from the year before.
For 2009, “we do not want to do less than last year,” said Marco Polo Plaza general manager Hans Hauri.
After recalling the significant impact of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) Summit held in Cebu in 2007 on the hotel’s revenues, Hauri said that Marco Polo continues to the economy and tap other potential tourists markets, particularly in Asia.
He noted that the spending of some Philippine-based companies have “toned down at the moment.” He said the hotel saw a decrease in the number of events and product launches this month compared to the same period last year.
This prompted Marco Polo Plaza to look at other markets like the Japanese.
“We offer them attractive packages that will enable them to come here because it is cheaper for them to stay two weeks in the Philippines than (live in Japan) for one week,” he said, adding that Japanese cities have high costs of living.
The hotel is also looking at progressive economies, like Singapore and Europe.
Meanwhile, Marco Polo Plaza Hotel Cebu recently acquired a Deluxe Class Hotel accreditation from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 after complying the requirements prescribed for a five-star city hotel.
Hauri said that Marco Polo has continuously improved itself since it started operations in 2006 to secure the certification.
DOT accreditation
The accreditation recognizes the establishment to have complied with the minimum requirements for the operation of a deluxe class hotel in the country, including at least 25-square-meter rooms, 24-hour room service, furnishings and lighting, conference facilities, DOT-accredited travel agency, 24-hour medical service, business center and airport transfers, among others.
“No matter how economically difficult or challenging (the present time is), you cannot compromise the quality of your rooms, amenities, food, entertainment and cleanliness,” Hauri told reporters during the re-launching of the hotel’s Cebuano Heritage Cuisine yesterday.
To cope with the global financial crisis, he said, the hotel has been taking measures to control costs without sacrificing the quality of its services and productivity of its work force.
Hauri said the hotel is not laying off workers but has increased its agency staff, instead, depending on their business pattern. The hotel usually needs additional people from a staffing agency to assist its permanent personnel from Wednesday to Saturday.
Marco Polo Plaza, formerly Cebu Plaza Hotel, has 329 guest rooms and suites, 12 function rooms, a grand ballroom and a garden terrace, among others.
It is the eighth addition to the internationally renowned Marco Polo Hotel group that has a portfolio of properties in Asia, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shenzhen and Xiamen in China, and Davao. (NRC)
