The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) expects to add 15,000 hotel rooms nationwide within the next five years.
“The aggressive expansion plan is backed by a robust pipeline of 50 hotel projects currently in development,” said PHOA executive director Benito Bengzon Jr.
“We see this as a very positive sign for the industry. We are also actively pursuing expansions beyond the metropolitan cities,” Bengzon said in a pre-event briefing for the upcoming Philippine Tourism and Hotel Investment Summit 2024 on June 21, 2024.
PHOA is looking forward to launching the Philippine Tourism Strategic Action Plan to narrow the gap with ASEAN competitors, particularly Thailand and Malaysia, which have more hotels than the Philippines.
Led by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the roadmap is set to be unveiled at the upcoming summit. It will provide a clear direction for the country’s tourism industry.
The summit will bring together industry leaders, government officials and investors to discuss collaboration and promote sustainable tourism practices.
“This summit is a momentous occasion for the entire tourism and hotel industry. We believe this event will foster valuable networking, knowledge-sharing, and strategic discussions that will pave the way for sustainable industry growth,” said PHOA president Arthur Lopez.
The summit is co-presented by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), with support from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
The Philippines has 217 hotels with a total room inventory of 40,000.