Sheraton Manila Hotel occupancy on ‘upward trajectory’

SHERATON MANILA Hotel has posted better occupancy this year as the travel industry continues to recover, its manager said, adding that further improvement is expected as the holiday season approaches.

“Occupancy-wise, I think we’re getting there. We can be busier. But the good thing is it’s actually starting to come,” Anna Liza Vergara, Sheraton Manila Hotel general manager, said on the sidelines of the 120th anniversary event of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in Pasay City on Wednesday.

“Our average occupancy is heading towards an upward trajectory,” she said, without disclosing specific figures.

Ms. Vergara said that the hotel is hoping to have more international travelers, saying that the segment poses a “very good opportunity.”

“The opportunity right now is focusing more on the local market,” she said, adding that the biggest opportunity “is to be able to really open travel so that we can have international travelers, international meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE) to come in because obviously there’s very good opportunity there.”

She said Sheraton Manila Hotel is expecting a rise in occupancy as the holiday season nears.

“The potential is there. The market is dying to go out. So I think the market is ready, while the hotels have always been ready,” Ms. Vergara said. “It will definitely be better this coming holiday season.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Vergara disclosed that the hotel opted not to increase its food prices amid the ongoing tight supply and high prices of sugar in the country.

“We try not to sacrifice food quality, especially for hotels. People normally would pay a premium when they dine in hotels. So sacrificing food quality is not the right direction. But we are finding that there’s still a good number of people that are willing to pay a little bit more to be able to enjoy hotels,” Ms. Vergara said.

Sheraton Manila Hotel, which opened in 2019, has 390 rooms. It is located at the Resorts World Manila complex in Pasay City. The hotel is part of the international brands under Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc., the leisure unit of Andrew L. Tan-led Alliance Global Group, Inc. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave