Resort completes P8.5M facilities

Saturday, March 28, 2009

WHILE travel and tourism markets are threatened by the global financial crisis, San Remigio Beach Club (SRBC) has invested on new facilities to accommodate more educational activities, corporate meetings and special occasions.

The sports and leisure resort invested P8.5 million in these new facilities—P6 million for two convention centers with a combined capacity of 500 persons and P2.5 million for the four dormitory rooms that can accommodate up to 14 people each—as it focuses on educational and corporate events. The new facilities were opened last March 21.

SRBC general manager Mark Anthony Ynoc said that the resort wants to cater to big groups that will hold conventions, seminars and training workshops for corporations, religious groups and even political parties.

“We also want to cater to special occasions, like weddings, and educational activities like summer camps,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

The SRBC—which sits on a 7.5-hectare property in Tambongon, San Remigio in northern Cebu—houses 50 bedrooms. The resort began operations in 2002.

“Our vision is to be a prime leader in hospitality up north (of Cebu). We want to be a (tourist) destination, being looked at the way (tourists) look at Malapascua or Daanbantayan,” Ynoc said.

After the completion of the new facilities, SRBC plans to take a “breather” from similar investments this year.

Ynoc admitted that the resort began to feel the effects of the global economic turmoil last month, with the decline in local and foreign guests.

“While (individual) travelers would cut back on luxury expenses like travel, we are targeting companies that already have budget for (corporate) activities. Part of our (aggressive) marketing efforts is to offer (them) discounts and promos. Even without these promos, our rates are already cheap,” he said.

The resort has 16 corporate bookings for April and expects more during summer. It also expects more weddings for June.

SRBC is also promoting its Marine Dive Center to attract more foreign tourists, especially Korean divers.(NRC)