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The Bellevue Resort in Bohol

Benise Balaoing

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732769871134Bellevue 1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>A view of The Bellevue Resort from one of its rooms. Benise Balaoing, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- The Belleveue Hotels and Resorts is eyeing expanding into retail and heritage tourism as part of its efforts to boost its recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. &quot;It&#x27;s called Bellemar Lifestyle Mall,&quot; The Bellevue Resort Managing Director Dustin Chan told ABS-CBN News. &quot;It&#x27;s a mixed development, with restaurants, also focusing on more heritage architecture, [keeping] in touch with our Filipino-Spanish origins.&quot;&quot;It&#x27;s also a place to appreciate a bit of our history, a bit of who we are,&quot; he noted.Chan said the mall will be located in Alona Beach, a tourist hotspot in Bohol&#x27;s island paradise of Panglao. It will be opened next year. The executive said they learned the importance of diversifying during the COVID-19 pandemic. &quot;Back in 2020 when we had the recent pandemic, it gave us a realization that putting everything in one basket is not, it might not be that sustainable,&quot; he said.&quot;Because back then, when there was no tourism, when there was lockdown, like the hotel industry, especially resorts, was really down,&quot; he explained.&quot;It forced us to really look into other areas of growth,&quot; he said.Chan spoke with journalists at the sidelines of The Bellevue Resort&#x27;s 12th anniversary celebration. The Bellevue Resort is the group&#x27;s sole destination property.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/2/9/what-to-expect-at-the-bellevue-resort-in-panglao-737" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What to expect at The Bellevue Resort in Panglao</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/2/22/the-tastes-of-lamian-at-the-bellevue-resort-2356" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tastes of Lamian at The Bellevue Resort</a></div>&quot;I just want to say that wherever we are, we are committed, that everyone grows when we choose a place. We think of it really hard enough and the community grows with us,&quot; he said at the festivities.Chan said that tourists&#x27; preferences for hotels seem to be changing.&quot;People no longer look at &#x27;best.&#x27; [They] not only look at &#x27;better, best,&#x27; bigger hotels,&quot; he noted.&quot;With the world, now that it&#x27;s noisy, it really goes back to how you define what&#x27;s what&#x27;s best for you,&quot; he said.The businessman said the firm&#x27;s hotels now strive to meet their clients&#x27; need for peace.&quot;That&#x27;s why we we focus on a resort to be more intimate, not too big, not as busy as other resorts, more personal, and not just staying here overnight or just enjoying your holidays, but also maybe finding some meaning in your stay.&quot;&quot;When you stay, you become aware, also you try to learn some sustainability practices. When you stay, you&#x27;re aware that you are helping our local school that we support. And also when you&#x27;re staying, you&#x27;re not only just staying, but also learning and relaxing and finding your own peace,&quot; he said.Andrew Fernandes, the resort manager, also noted that the pandemic has changed what people enjoy doing.&quot;I think after the pandemic, our circles as a Philippine community and I think globally, our circles are smaller. Before, our barkada is 20. Now, apat na lang kayo. Parang ‘Friends &#x27;na lang or ‘How I Met Your Mother,’&quot; he said.&quot;And our definition of what is a good night has changed. It doesn&#x27;t have to be getting smashed. It can be, you know, a movie night. It could be cuddling with your partner.&quot;Fernandes said the resort is now focused on giving its guests more experiences--like pickleball tournaments and outdoor movie nights--to give them a more enjoyable stay.He also said they want to give their guests more uniquely Filipino experiences.&quot;Next year we&#x27;re introducing culinary classes. How can you cook an adobo and a humba? It can be things for the kids can do. It can be something that a group can do. So when you go back, you don&#x27;t only say that, you know, &#x27;we stayed at a great hotel.&#x27; You bring back an experience. You bring back a memory.&quot;&quot;Kasi when you do something, the more you appreciate it, the more you learn about it. And I think for all of us, what is enjoyable has changed. We appreciate doing something rather than just holding on to something or buying something,&quot; he said.&quot;During the pandemic, there were two trends. A lot of people bought luxury goods, but a lot of people also focused more on experiences,&quot; he noted.&quot;Like, when you go to Bellevue, you don&#x27;t only take home great memories, you take literally a piece of Bohol with you,&quot; he said.

The Belleveue Hotels and Resorts is eyeing expanding into retail and heritage tourism next year.

The Belleveue Hotels and Resorts is eyeing expanding into retail and heritage tourism next year.

Bellevue eyes expansion into commercial space, heritage tourism in pandemic recovery push

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Bellevue eyes expansion into commercial space, heritage tourism in pandemic recovery push

Benise Balaoing,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 28, 2024 01:50 PM PHT

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