Citadines Bacolod City: Unlocking Potential in Panay Region’s Hospitality Sector

Philippines, 3rd November 2023 – The Ascott Limited, a leading international hospitality company, will be redefining the industry once again with Citadines Bacolod City, the newest addition to its roster of properties. Located in the heart of Bacolod.  The premier-serviced residence, which marks Ascott's maiden entry into the city, is positioning itself as a game-changer in the local hospitality scene.

Bacolod City, known as the "City of Smiles" is a vibrant and progressive urban center located in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province and serves as its economic, cultural, and administrative hub. The city’s rapid urbanization has had a significant impact on its tourism and hospitality sector, transforming it into a thriving destination that attracts both domestic and international travelers.

Gearing up for 2024, Citadine’s targeted venture is Bacolod’s well-celebrated Masskara festival, which attracts tourists from all over the world. A part of their preparation was the exclusive VIP Night last October 19, which welcomed special guests Mr. Jose Franco Soberano, COO of Cebu Landmasters, Mr. Mathias Bergundthal, Director of SLI Hotels and Resorts, and Mr. Alec Lsutre, President of Capitaine Inc. The event gave a peek into the fun and excitement Citadines has planned for the upcoming year, featuring Masskara performers all night long - drummers, dancers, and singers - giving Bacolod a taste of what’s to come. 

The VIP Night also explored “How Citadines will Change the Hospitality Landscape in Bacolod” with Ascott General Manager Philip Barnes, opening with an optimistic eye for the upcoming opening.

The Citadines brand is committed to providing a seamless blend of convenience, comfort, and connectivity to cater to the diverse needs of both business and leisure travelers. Each Citadines property exudes a distinct style and character, reflecting the local culture and community, while maintaining a consistent philosophy of “bringing you to the city, and the city to you”. 

Looking forward to its opening in 2024, A property viewing was also integrated to boast the array of world-class amenities designed to elevate the guest experience. Showcasing the infinity pool, which offers stunning views of Bacolod's skyline, and the fully equipped fitness center to cater to health and wellness enthusiasts. Citadines excites everyone with a teaser of their several restaurants. For those wanting to try out local cuisines and regional specialties, stop by Citadines’ Negrense, your one-stop destination for all the delicacies Negros Occidental. The property’s team of chefs will collaborate with local cooks to deliver flavors unique to each city in the region. 

Viennoiserie and Italian, Citadines Bacolod City’s lobby café and bakery, will treat guests with an irresistible blend of aromatic coffee experiences through its collaboration with Coffee Culture, a popular and innovative artisan coffee roaster of local and imported beans. Aligning with the property’s brand signature, “for the love of coffee”, guests can choose from a menu inspired by the local coffee culture and leisurely enjoy food and beverages in an ambiance that radiates comfort and sophistication. Viennoiserie and Italian’s skilled baristas are devoted to transforming each cup of coffee into a journey of flavors, using carefully sourced beans that reflect the essence of the region's coffee heritage.

The property also boasts a selection of versatile event spaces, thoughtfully designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings and occasions, such as a grand ballroom. This part of the property provides a spacious and versatile venue, making it an ideal Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) destination in the region. With its state-of-the-art facilities and adaptable layout, this pillarless marvel is poised to be a true game-changer in the MICE industry in the area, setting new standards for elegance, flexibility, and sophistication in event spaces.

"As a property managed by The Ascott Limited, Citadines Bacolod City exemplifies our commitment to providing a seamless blend of comfort, convenience, and top-notch service," said Philip Barnes, the Ascott Limited’s Country General Manager. "We are delighted to bring this exceptional brand to Bacolod City and offer travelers a sophisticated stay experience."

The property’s strategic location puts it in close proximity to several of the city’s key amenities and facilities. This includes some of Bacolod City’s top universities, shopping malls, central business districts, and restaurants. Citadines Bacolod City’s central location makes it an attractive choice for business and leisure travelers seeking a well-connected base to explore the city's vibrant offerings.

Along with Bacolod’s rapid urban growth, Citadines Bacolod City’s establishment in the city can help pave the way for further economic boon for the area as a whole. The property’s capacity to become a MICE destination leader in the region can significantly contribute to the city’s revenue generation, business opportunities, and diversification of income. It can also help maintain the region’s occupancy levels, especially during special cultural events like the Masskara Festival, and promote the Ascott brand to the Visayas region.

In terms of future growth, Ascott believes Citadines Bacolod City presents a steep growth potential in the coming years. With Bacolod's popularity as a travel and business hub continuing to soar, the property is well-equipped to cater to the increasing demand for sophisticated accommodations and events facilities. Through its establishment in Bacolod, Ascott aims to strengthen its brand presence in the Panay area by exploring opportunities for expansion and enhancing guest experiences in other key cities within the region.

As Citadines Bacolod City opens its doors to the public, the property invites guests to indulge in a world-class stay experience, backed by Ascott's legacy of exceptional service and unparalleled hospitality. Guests can reserve and advance and look out for updates by visiting the property’s official website and the following social media pages, Facebook and Instagram.

TPB Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Re-Accreditation

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines once again proves its commitment towards the continuous improvement of its management systems by successfully maintaining its ISO 9001:2015 certification. The audit performed by the Certification International Philippines, Inc. showed that the quality management systems in place at TPB has seen remarkable improvements and discovered no non-conformities in the organization's existing processes on design, development and provision of Philippine tourism marketing and promotions versus the ISO standards. An attached agency of the Department of Tourism, TPB exists to market and promote the Philippines domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination.

Growing Philippine Tourism

The Philippines is once again at the forefront of the global tourism industry with its participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) 2019 in Excel, London.Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Philippines’ participation was able to generate more than P62 millionbased on partial sales leads gathered or a 35.73% return of investment.

With Korea, China, the US and Japan topping the country’s tourist arrivals, the Philippines’ participation in WTM strengthens the country’s presence in the international tourism and travel arena, particularly Europe and brought it close to its goal of attracting 8.2 million tourists by the end of 2019.

The WTM provided a platform for the Philippine private sector to conduct business-to-business meetings and renew linkages with theirtourism markets around the world.It also enabled TPB and DOT to generate marketing and promotions leads and stay abreast with the latest trends to support its bid to promote the Philippines as the preferred destination.

“The private sector always looks forward to joining WTM,” said DOT Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado III. “In fact, the Philippines gets very good tourists arrivals from the UK, with a 10% increase from last year. But our participation is not just about tapping the UK market. Through WTM, which is the Olympic of travel fairs, we are able to tap key travel and tourism markets in Europe and the rest of the world.”

The Philippine delegation was composed of industry partners and stakeholders including DOT-accredited tourism establishments led by Amorita Resorts, El Nido Resorts, Bohol Beach Club, Nature Wellness Village, Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar, Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay,; travel and tour operators Baron Travel Corporation, Rajah Tours, Annset Holidays, Inc.,Intas Destinations Management, Inc., Travel Experts, Inc. as well as the Clark Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, highlights of the Philippinebooth included ‘slow fashion’featuring the colorful ancestral art of weaving from the province of Kalinga in the island of Luzon, local and bright-colored banig from Basey, Samarand intricate fashion accessories made of agsamfrom the province of Surigao del Sur.

Also making a big splash were the Itogon coffee served all day by no less than top notch baristas Kiddo Cosio and Silvester Samonte of El Union Café and Raoul Peralta of the social enterprise Henry & Sons, as well coffee pairings featuring Pili Latte and Concerva. Award-winning chefs Jam Melchorand Chef Rica Buenaflor also drew huge crowds with their vegan laing, bringhe and adobo.

And proving that Filipinos are world-class entertainers, the crowd was treated to a performance byaward-winning artists of folkloric group La Lira Filipina, headlined byvocalist Princess Virtudazo and violinist and concertmaster Merjohn Lagaya.

Through active participation in global tourism industry events like WTM, TPB is more than optimistic that the Philippines will indeed be the next must-see destination in Asia.

TPB Mounts Biggest International Travel Trade Event in the Philippines for 2019

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is set to boost tourism in the Philippines as it simultaneously mounts the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) and MICE Buyers Invitational (MICECONnect) 2019 on October 20 to 27 to promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination for both leisure and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibits/Events).

Now on its 18th year, PHITEX is considered to be the biggest travel trade event in the country, with close to 200 sellers and 200 buyers participating. The main highlight of the event is the one and a half day business-to-business (B2B) session between foreign buyers and local sellers to encourage tourism-related discourse among the participants, and open doors for business opportunities.

“PHITEX is mounted annually as a support for stakeholders in the travel trade industry,” says TPB COO Marie Venus Tan. “Instead of working as individual operators and sellers, we provide a platform for them to connect to hundreds of buyers from all over the world in one venue, which saves them precious time and money. The event also gives buyers a more comprehensive view of the different destinations and packages that they can sell to consumers, either as individual or bundled tours.”

Participants also took part in the PHITEX educational seminar where industry leaders discussed new trends in tourism marketing as well as marketing strategies in mature and emerging markets while keeping the theme of “Philippine Tourism: Trailblazing Responsible Travel and Inclusive Growth,” in mind.

Giving their insights were Thomas Graham, Co-Founder of Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, Carlos Mori Rodriguez, the Chief Innovation Officer of EON The Stakeholder Relations Group, and Nelly Nuezca Dillera, CESO III, the Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine Trade Training Center - Global MSME Academy, who ended the seminar on how DTI is building capabilities for halal development and certification."

Meanwhile, MICECONnect 2019, aims to accelerate the Philippine MICE industry by gathering MICE suppliers to showcase the country as a premium destination for international events and conferences.

Happening simultaneously with PHITEX, MICECONnect 2019 is the continuation of a two-year program as a comprehensive educational seminar for local MICE stakeholders to learn new and effective global trends, approaches, and methods. This year’s focus is conducting business networking opportunities to further develop the country’s MICE industry.

MICECONnect 2019 likewise features B2B sessions for Philippine and foreign MICE buyers, and include a hotel and MICE venue inspection. Moreover, MICECONnect delegates will be treated to post-event tours to highlight some of the country's premier MICE destinations including Iloilo City, Bacolod, Davao, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Tagaytay, Manila and Batangas.

More importantly, both PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019 enable TPB to support and raise awareness on sustainable community-based tourism. Apart from promoting what the Philippines can offer, TPB also advocates for the protection of natural assets and expanding the benefits of tourism to communities that are directly and indirectly affected by the industry, consequently helping DOT towards achieving its goals for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To know more about PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019, visit the following websites: https://www.phitex.ph/, https://www.micecon.ph, https://www.tpb.gov.ph/, or https://www.facebook.com/tpbphl/.

CDO to Attract more Domestic Tourists through Regional Travel Fair

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), will expand its domestic footprint with the commencement of the 5th Regional Travel Fair (RTF) in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro.

Supported by the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Northern Mindanao, the RTF aims to promote and strengthen domestic tourism by encouraging travelers to discover more of the Philippines year-round.

Around 100 participants from different travel trade sectors, government agencies, and exhibitors, including local travel and tour agencies, hotels, resorts, and airline operators, are expected to be onboard at the Limketkai Center from August 23-24to showcase the best of the Philippines.
The RTF program includes a 2-day business-to-consumer (B2C) expo wherein exhibitors shall offer exclusive and affordable tour packages that will ultimately increase the volume of domestic travellers around the country. Additionally, a half-day travel exchange (TRAVEX) table-top session will take place for participating buyers and sellers to generate direct sales and business leads, meet new partners and renew deals.

TPB supports Get Global Exhibition in Australia

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), as part of its strategic thrust to strengthen its Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) campaign, supports Get Global – Where the World Meets, an industry exhibition in Australia at the International Convention Center (ICC) Sydney.

Launched in 2017, Get Global has become a reputable platform that connects international MICE suppliers with buyers, including corporate meeting planners, incentive houses and professional conference organizers (PCO), and has been recognized as "Exhibition of the Year" by Meetings & Events Australia for two consecutive years.

With the assistance of DOT Sydney, the Philippines was promoted to Australia's outbound MICE market with increased exposure through Get Global's digital platforms as well as through unlimited face-to-face quality meetings within the one-day event. Participation in the event also generated new leads, established relationships, and explored new networks of contacts for the expansion of the Philippine MICE market, especially among senior buyers in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia is one of the Philippines’ top tourism markets and the month of April this year saw a 13.41 percent increase in tourist arrivals from Down Under. With improved connectivity between Sydney and Manila arising from new and increasing flights, more Australian visitors are expected to keep the upward trend sustained.

MICECON 2018, a Success!

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events) Conference, the largest gathering of local and international MICE industry experts and practitioners, was successfully mounted this year in Bacolod. Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), MICECON 2018 featured educational talks from world-class experts. TPB uses MICECON to strengthen the country’s reputation as the preferred MICE destination in Asia. The four-day conference was spearheaded by (center) TPB chief operating officer Marie Venus Tan and Bacolod City mayor Evelio Leonardia. Others in photo are (L-R) Bacolod City councilor Em Ang, DOT regional director Helen Catalbas, Bacolod City administrator John Orola, DOT assistant secretary Robert Alabado III and DOT Policy Formulation and International Cooperation division chief Alex Macatuno.