BELMONT Hotel Mactan will be rebranded as Mercure Mactan Cebu this year, becoming the first Megaworld property to operate under global hospitality giant Accor, as the property developer expands its hotel portfolio through international partnerships.
The move is part of a newly sealed collaboration between Megaworld Corp.—the Philippines’ largest developer and operator of homegrown hotel brands—and France-based Accor, which manages more than 5,600 hotels in 110 countries. The deal will see select Megaworld Hotels & Resorts properties transition into Accor franchises, starting with the 550-room Belmont Mactan located in the 30-hectare Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
“With Mercure Mactan Cebu, we aim to redefine Cebu’s tourism landscape by combining our group’s local expertise with Accor’s global leadership in hospitality,” said Cleofe Albiso, managing director of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts.
Mercure is one of more than 40 hotel brands under Accor’s portfolio, alongside Sofitel, Fairmont, Raffles, Pullman, Mövenpick and Swissotel. Under the partnership, Megaworld properties will gain access to Accor’s reservation systems, global service standards, and ALL – Accor Live Limitless, the group’s loyalty program that enables members to earn points and rewards across its global network.
Andrew Langdon, chief development officer for Asia at Accor, said the agreement supports the company’s strategy to accelerate growth in premium, midscale and economy segments across Asia, especially in tourism-driven markets like the Philippines.
“The Philippines remains a vital market for us, and the signing of Mercure Mactan Cebu is fully aligned with our ambition to meet the growing demand for hotels that serve both leisure and business travelers, driven by the continued rise of ‘bleisure’ travel,” said Langdon. “With Mactan-Cebu International Airport among the country’s leading gateways, Cebu is fast emerging as a preferred destination for domestic and international visitors.”
Megaworld Hotels & Resorts currently operates 13 properties nationwide with a total of around 7,000 rooms. These include brands such as Richmonde, Belmont, Savoy, Kingsford and Twin Lakes. The group plans to open seven more properties over the next three years in Palawan, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Pampanga, bringing its total hotel count to 20 and room inventory to 9,000. / KOC