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Filipinos urged to travel as hotels, resorts struggle to stay afloat

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Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/12/30/20201230-covid19-domestic-travel-naia-md6.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA - A group of hotels and resorts on Sunday urged Filipinos to travel but following health protocols as businesses struggle to stay afloat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>&quot;Local tourism lang talaga ang inaasahan namin (We are really just relying on local tourism). Sabi ko nga (I&#x27;ve said), &#x27;Be a hero, you travel and help us out also&#x27;,&quot; said Christine Anne Ibarreta, president of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association which has some 155 members.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/12/21/dot-eyes-local-tourism-boost-as-arrivals-plummet-84-pct-in-2020-due-to-pandemic">DOT eyes local tourism boost as arrivals plummet 84 pct in 2020 due to pandemic</a></li></ul><p>Hotels have decreased their rates by &quot;more than 50 percent&quot;, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner included, Ibarreta told ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/10/20/dot-releases-guidelines-for-holiday-staycations-as-covid-19-threat-remains">DOT releases guidelines for holiday staycations as COVID-19 threat remains</a></li></ul><p>&quot;We have to hold on and we’re still positive as Filipinos, hoteliers na malalagpasan namin ito (that we&#x27;ll get past this). Kaya (so), please travel and help us out,&quot; she said.</p><p>For Valentines&#x27; Day, staycation hotels or those allowed to operate for travelers have an occupancy rate of more than 30 percent, according to Ibarreta.</p><p>&quot;Tumaas siya kasi dati, 5-10 percent. Nakakaawa talaga,&quot; she said.</p><p>(It increased because it was only around 5-10 percent before.)</p><p>&quot;In terms of occupancies, madami po ang occupancy ng quarantine hotels kasi maraming OFWs na dumating. For the staycation hotels, medyo kailangan po ng push. Yung F&amp;B (food and beverage) talaga medyo pumatok ngayon.&quot;</p><p>(Quarantine hotels have high occupancy because many overseas Filipino workers arrived. Staycation hotels need push. F&amp;B departments now really boomed.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/12/21/mga-hotel-na-quarantine-facility-di-puwedeng-tumanggap-ng-staycation-guests-dot">Mga hotel na quarantine facility, di puwedeng tumanggap ng &#x27;staycation&#x27; guests: DOT</a></li></ul><p>The public is urged to make reservations ahead of their stay and come prepared with their confirmatory swab test result, Ibarreta said.</p><p>&quot;The hotels still follow the safety guidelines. Merong masks, pag-check ng temperature and face shield din (There are masks, temperature check and face shields). Hotel employees are (also) safe rin,&quot; Ibarreta said.</p><p>&quot;Everything is safe and we make sure, we follow the DOT-IATF (Department of Tourism - Inter-Agency Task Force against COVID-19) guidelines po.&quot;</p><p>With the temporary shutdown of Makati Shangri-la and the closure of the Legend Villas, Ibarreta expressed hope that their other hotel members will not follow suit, otherwise &quot;many more lives will be affected.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/20/21/makati-shangri-la-closing-down-temporarily-as-pandemic-batters-hotel-industry">Makati Shangri-La closing down &#x27;temporarily&#x27; as pandemic batters hotel industry</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/02/01/21/after-28-years-mandaluyong-hotel-legend-villas-announces-closure">After 28 years, Mandaluyong hotel Legend Villas announces closure</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1620160" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>A group of hotels and resorts on Sunday urged Filipinos to travel as businesses struggle to stay afloat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<br /> </p>

A group of hotels and resorts on Sunday urged Filipinos to travel as businesses struggle to stay afloat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Filipinos urged to travel as hotels, resorts struggle to stay afloat

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Filipinos urged to travel as hotels, resorts struggle to stay afloat

Gillan Ropero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 14, 2021 08:33 AM PHT

|

Updated Feb 14, 2021 07:32 PM PHT

Read More:

hotels

resorts

Valentines' Day

Hotel Sales and Marketing Association

staycation

travel

vacation

ANC

local tourism

Philippines local tourism

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