Robinsons Land to bank on Mice to grow hotel businesses: official
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
GOKONGWEI-led Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) is banking on the meetings, incentives, conference and exhibition (Mice) market to grow its hotel business in the country.
Renovation of function rooms, particularly in Summit Circle Cebu (formerly Midtown Hotel) is underway, according to RLC director for corporate and public relations Roseann Coscolluela-Villegas.
“We have re-branded the hotel, refurbished the rooms and banquet facilities to advance our footing in the hotel industry,” Villegas said.
Villegas said Summit Circle Cebu is expected to attract local and foreign Mice markets, similar to the Summit Ridge, RLC’s hotel property in Tagaytay, which is known as a wedding, social and corporate meetings destination.
“We have a good market response for Summit Ridge and we intend to replicate the same success with our other properties, especially in Cebu, which is bullish in attracting high-value markets,” said Villegas.
Summit Circle Cebu will be formally launched next month.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., said the Philippines needs to catch up with its Asian neighbors and grab a slice of the Mice market. He said Mice events can increase tourism arrivals in the country.
Summit Hotels is one of three hotel brands that RLC operates. The other two are Go Hotels and Crown Plaza, which is a partnership between RLC and the international chain.
Aside from improving Summit Hotels, Villegas said RLC will also be expanding the Go Hotels chain in the country.
Villegas said the budget hotel will soon be opening in Cebu as part of RLC’s P5 billion Robinsons Galleria Cebu project on General Maxilom Ext.
According to RLC president Frederick Go, they are “ramping up” investments in Cebu because of its robust economic growth as shown by its vibrant retail and tourism sectors.
The Go Hotel brand has five branches in Mandaluyong, Tacloban, Dumaguete, Palawan and Bacolod. It will soon open in Ortigas; Otis, Manila; and Iloilo, where Robinsons malls are located.
Meanwhile, Villegas said RLC’s mall components will also roll out Lingkod Pinoy Centers, a one-stop-shop that will house government agencies such as Social Security System, Department of Foreign Affairs, Land Transportation Office, and Pag-ibig.
Of RLC’s 32 malls nationwide, it already has installed nine Lingkod Pinoy Centers.
Villegas said, the firm is still looking for a space in Cebu to open the one-stop-shop.
RLC grew its net income by 9.84 percent to P3.35 billion in the first semester from P3.05 billion in the same period last year on the back of improved revenues across all its businesses, led by the commercial and residential segments.
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Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 23, 2012.
