WITH an average monthly occupancy of 80 percent year-round, Cebu’s hospitality industry is in a healthy state, said Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants Association of Cebu (HRRAC) president Carlo Suarez.

“There is no more seasonality now,” said Suarez, noting that from the usual two nights stay in Cebu, guests now extend their stay to at least three to four nights.

Suarez said this means that more tourists spend more time around Cebu’s tourism sites, spending more for various activities.

Some P28.5 billion in revenues was generated from the 6.9 million tourists who visited Cebu last year. Suarez said they expect the number to soar this year with the progress Cebu has been exhibiting at the start of the year.

Peak months for city hotels are January to mid-March and September to December. The lean season or period starts from end-March to July and August.

Resorts, on the other hand, enjoy high occupancy all year, except June, usually a lean month.

Suarez attributed the high occupancy to the opening of Terminal 2 of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport as well as to new tourism products being offered such as eco and farm tourism.

With the steady arrival of tourists in Cebu, Suarez said the accommodation sector is embarking on massive improvements and renovations to stay competitive.

Cebu has more than 22,000 rooms, 11,000 of which are located in Cebu City. Some 5,000 are in Lapu-Lapu while more than 1,000 are in Mandaue City.

“We welcome more rooms to support the healthy tourism arrivals. It would be nice to have new players in the industry with different hotel categories, from high-end to budget-type accommodations to cater to all market segments,” said Suarez.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism and the Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism have recognized the first batch of awardees in Central Visayas, for the new Green Tourism Certification Program funded by the European Union.

Of the 12 facilities, eight are from Cebu. These are Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, JPark Island Resort and Waterpark Cebu, Pulchra Beach Resort, Quest Hotel and Conference Center, Mayflower Inn, Elicon House, West Gorordo Hotel and Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.