A TOP executive of American hotel group Carlson Rezidor said they were in active talks with SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. for a second hotel in Cebu.
Andre de Jong, Carlson Rezidor vice president for operations in the South East Asia and Pacific, said the new hotel will carry the Park Inn by Radisson brand and will rise within the 30-hectare SM Seaside Complex at the South Road Properties.
“I visited that property before and back then there were not enough developments that can support the need for another hotel. Now, however, there is a huge mall coming up, condominiums, convention centers that will fuel the need for hotel rooms,” he said.
The group currently manages Radisson Blu Cebu and Park Inn by Radisson in Davao, both in partnership with SM Hotels.
A 150-room Park Inn by Radisson hotel will open in Clark on December 10.
De Jong said they see a huge room for growth in the country and is looking at potential resorts in Boracay and Palawan as well as business hotels in Iloilo and Quezon cities.
“The Philippines has about 5.5 million tourists compared to your neighbors like Thailand with 25 million. We see that as something that will still grow in the future. Cities, destinations in the country will further develop and we’d like to look at opportunities where we can add a new property,” he said.