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Tag: boracay

  • Spanish footwear label Toni Pons opens first store in the Philippines

    Spanish footwear label Toni Pons opens first store in the Philippines

    When it comes to espadrilles, Toni Pons, a Spanish footwear company, is known as one of the pioneers in this design concept. Finally, the brand has officially opened the doors to its first official store in the Philippines at SM Megamall and Robinsons Place Manila. 

    Down the memory lane

    In 1946 Spain, Toni Pons founder, Antoni Pons Parramon, created the first traditionally-made espadrilles using jute or rubber in Osor, a small village near Girona. More than 75 years later, Toni Pons is now selling in different parts of the globe. 

    Influenced by the land where it was born, the Toni Pons brand maintains its Mediterranean character. The relaxed and carefree vibe of the region has accompanied the brand all throughout its history. The brand’s aesthetic of easy elegance and freshness is very befitting for a tropical country such as the Philippines, especially during the summer season. 

    On the Philippine market

    To make sure that there is something for everyone, the brand brings a wide array of collections in the country—from kids’ and men’s to bridal footwear. On top of that, the brand also introduced some of its other pieces such as bags and belts.  

    During the brand’s official launch last May 16, 2023 at SM Megamall, Fashion Hall, Jordin Pons, Toni Pons’ founder and president, told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle that the brand is looking forward to creating Philippine exclusive designs and incorporating local sustainable materials in the future designs. 

    “We know that the Philippine market is not new with handmade shoes, but we are not here to compete but to bring a new concept which is the espadrilles,” he said. “As a brand, we like to say that we arrive to a lot of people because we also do men’s, women’s, kid’s, and shoes for special events.”

    The event is an ode to summer as it celebrates its launch with a dance-infused fashion show. The show featured the Philippine Allstars as they strutted down the runway in their Toni Pons shoes, capping off the event with a dance number that is reminiscent of the movie musical, “Mamma Mia.” The brand is planning to open a total of 15 stores in the country by the end of the year. Last May 20, 2023, they opened a store at  The Hue Hotel Boracay.

  • Cebu Pacific increases flights to Boracay, Bohol ‘to support recovery’

    Cebu Pacific increases flights to Boracay, Bohol ‘to support recovery’

    Budget carrier Cebu Pacific said Monday its flights between Manila and Boracay will now be five times daily, while flights to Bohol will also operate daily.

    The additional flights to Boracay and Bohol, which started on Monday, should “support recovery efforts,” the budget carrier said in an e-mailed statement.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the airline said: “We gradually increased our flights to Boracay weekly — from only two times daily on June 4, three times daily on June 7, four times daily on June 11, and now five times daily beginning yesterday, June 21.”

    “Bohol was at four times weekly in the second week of June and now it’s already one time daily,” it added.

    Cebu Pacific said it currently operates the “widest network” in the country covering 32 destinations, on top of its six international destinations.

    Candice A. Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice-president for marketing and customer service, said: “With the arrival of more vaccines and the pace at which vaccines are being rolled out, we are hopeful that in due time, our networks will recover to pre-pandemic levels.”

    “We remain cautiously optimistic as we prepare for the bounce back and will do everything that is within our control to support and aid that,” she added.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said recently that “over the last months, the recovery of air passenger demand has been mainly driven by domestic markets that have mostly remained unaffected by travel restrictions.”

    “In the meantime, international travel was restricted by most countries and governments are only starting to relax those restrictions as they vaccinate their populations and stabilize the epidemiological situation,” it added.

    Cebu Pacific, operated by Cebu Air, Inc., said it had flown six million coronavirus vaccine doses from China as of June 17, “on top of more than 1.4 million doses carried to 15 Philippine provinces.”

    The number of flights Cebu Pacific had in 2020 was 71% lower at 41,804. The number of passengers it carried last year also dropped 78% to five million.

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  • AirAsia offers cheap flights to Boracay, Bohol, Palawan

    AirAsia offers cheap flights to Boracay, Bohol, Palawan

    AirAsia is offering discounted one-way flights to several destinations in the Philippines. Cebu to Davao flights can be availed for as low as P98, while Manila flights to Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Kalibo, and Tacloban can be booked for only P288.

    For as low as P317, travelers from Manila can book flights to Caticlan (Boracay), Bohol, Davao, Iloilo, General Santos and Puerto Princesa.

  • Cebu Pacific launches P99 domestic seat sale starting Monday

    Cebu Pacific launches P99 domestic seat sale starting Monday

    Budget carrier Cebu Pacific on Monday announced a P99 seat sale for domestic flights one-way from Clark International Airport.

    In an advisory, the airline said the sale started Monday, August 19, and will end on Wednesday, August 21.

    The travel period is from October 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020.

    The P99 one-way flights are Clark to Bacolod, Bohol, Boracay (Caticlan), Cebu, Clark, Davao, Iloilo, and Puerto Princesa.

    Aside from Clark, Cebu Pacific operates flights out of six other strategically placed hubs in the Philippines: Manila, Kalibo, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan) and Davao.

    The carrier operates over 2,000 weekly flights across 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.

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  • Expedia, Booking.com warn AirAsia of turbulence in online travel plan

    Expedia, Booking.com warn AirAsia of turbulence in online travel plan

    Online travel giants Expedia and Booking.com are warning that budget airline pioneer, AirAsia Group, risks being destabilized by ambitious plans to become the “Amazon of travel”.

    AirAsia, which already offers limited travel plans on its website, plans to expand the online service to include booking flights with rival airlines and ecommerce. As profits tumble in the face of rising fuel costs and intensifying competition, CEO Tony Fernandes is seeking alternative sources of revenue and earlier this year told the Nikkei Asian Review he intended to invest 100 million Malaysian ringgit ($24.6 million) a year to become a technology-led company.

    The carrier’s future competitors in the wider online travel sector dismissed the threat posed by the company which brought low cost flight to Asia.

    Booking.com’s head of China, Marsha Ma, suggested the online travel giants would rally their vast networks of flights, hotels and services in the fight against any attempts by AirAsia to take market share. “The online travel agency business, especially accommodation, is a pretty heavy business model in terms of its supply chain management,” said Ma. “It takes years… We have offices at 190 locations and [they] have built up our supply chain capability, with width and depth.”

    “We will keep fighting on that,” the Booking.com executive said, speaking at an event held in Singapore last week by Skift, an U.S.-based travel industry information provider.

    Expedia, once a partner of AirAsia’s existing travel platform, indicated the carrier might not have the necessary skills to succeed. “What makes you great to run an airline” is not the same as being a great online travel agency, said Greg Schulze, head of commercial strategy & services at Expedia. Worse, the carrier risked being distracted from selling its own flights, which could exacerbate its current troubles, he suggested. “I am happy to see [AirAsia] negotiating with other airlines.”

    However, Aireen Omar, AirAsia’s deputy CEO for technology, was confident AirAsia could manage the risks. It was “ambitious, but I think it’s very doable,” Omar said.

    The aviation business model was changing, Omar said. “The key essence for us is no longer the aircraft but data.” AirAsia transported close to 100 million passengers this year alone in Southeast Asia, and was seeing six to eight million visitors come to its website every month. “A lot of new business opportunity is around there,” she said. This included enhancing its digital travel platform with itinerary suggestions, hotels or shopping, using technologies such as artificial intelligence to improve the offering.

    When asked if becoming the Amazon of travel is overly ambitious, Aireen Omar, AirAsia’s deputy CEO for technology and digital, said it’s “ambitious, but I think it’s very doable.” (Photo by Eri Sugiura)

    “I think online travel agencies are very cautious,” Omar said. She insisted that the company already has a “big platform” for AirAsia.com, the carrier’s BigPay, a mobile wallet which was launched in Malaysia last year tracking consumers’ credit and debit card payments, and combining this with its own loyalty program. “It is an opportunity for [other airlines] to have an access of the network and the data we have,” she added.

    AirAsia entered the flight and hotel package business in 2015 through a joint venture with Expedia. However last August it announced it would sell its 25% stake to Expedia for $60 million. This freed the carrier to build its own accommodation and other inventories. The airline in 2017 acquired 50% in travel tours and attractions provider startup Vidi, in a deal worth $2.6 million.

    Omar said the company’s data would be uploaded in the cloud by the end of the year, in preparation for the launch of its new service.

    AirAsia’s rush to build an enriched travel platform can be explained by headwinds the company faces in its core business. The carrier’s net income slipped to 96.1 million ringgit, a 92%-drop in the three months through March from a year earlier, as it was hit by high fuel costs and lower average fares.

    While the company remains profitable in Malaysia, where it is based, its operations in Indonesia, Thailand and elsewhere are either losing money or earning less.

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  • Philippines island Boracay reopens for test run following huge cleanup

    Philippines island Boracay reopens for test run following huge cleanup

    Boracay, one of the world’s most famous beach destinations, has reopened for a limited-numbers test run almost six months after closing for a cleanup operation to reverse the fortunes of the resort island once labeled a “cesspool” by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. The sun was out to welcome a small group of tourists from the province of Aklan, where the island is located, and other parts of Western Visayas. The group was invited to test the newly improved facilities, which include a comprehensive overhaul of the island’s outdated and insufficient sewerage.

    The resort island, which was shuttered in April for six months for rehabilitation work, is scheduled to reopen further later this month — labeled a “soft opening” by authorities. Its famous white-sand beaches were signed off in August as “very clean” and safe for swimming, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. While the cleanup has left the beaches immaculate and the waters crystal clear, significant work needs to be done to get the road system up to speed before larger numbers of tourists are allowed back on the island.

    Tourists asked to manage expectations

    On Monday, Cimatu told  in a Facebook Live-broadcast panel, which featured the four secretaries who make up an inter-agency task force, that the sewerage and drainage for 68 accommodation establishments cleared to open was “100%” complete. The system overhaul cost over 1 billion pesos ($18.5 million), Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said during the discussion. While some road surfaces were not yet completed they would be “significantly finished” — 75-80% — by the wider opening on October 26, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said.

    The full rehabilitation could take up to two years, the panel said, and while Romulo-Puyat praised reform efforts she said tourists should “manage expectations” during this period. Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año told Coren and Webb that almost 200 illegal structures had been demolished, many voluntarily and by their owners.

    Strict laws

    The new-look Boracay will be subject to rigorously enforced by-laws, the panel said, including limits to combustion engine transport, a ban on single-use plastics and offshore zones for watersports, providing a 100-meter (328-feet) swimming area from shore. Deckchairs and tables, as well as beachside entrepreneurs like masseuses and snack and drink vendors, will be banned from the beach, as will the famous fire dancers, who will have to make do with LED lights instead of the kerosene-soaked torches they used before the shutdown.

    The island should be a model of sustainable tourism, Romulo-Puyat said, and the panel stated that following the overhaul the famous island could regain its crown as one of the world’s best beach resorts.

    “We can make Boracay one of the most prestigious tourist destinations in the world,” Año said. Romulo-Puyat added that “when (the rehabilitation) is all done,” Duterte will visit the island, perhaps next year.<

    Economy needs a kickstart

    The island’s residents have been eagerly awaiting the return of the tourists and were thrilled to welcome the advance party — the last six months have been a struggle for many, especially the large numbers who rely on tourism for their livelihoods.

    During the cleanup operation, many of the 11,000 residents participated in the government’s “cash for work” program, which paid a daily minimum wage of 323 pesos ($6). In August, Lilibeth Panganiban, who sells rice cakes on a street corner, told that she’s seen her daily income drop from 1,800 pesos to 500 pesos, or even less.

    Overdue cleanup

    The archipelago nation of the Philippines boasts well over 7,000 islands. Among them, Boracay had become almost a byword for white-sand beach paradise.

    But with the influx of tourists that began in the 1980s, the island has struggled to maintain its idyllic allure. Last year almost 1.7 million tourists, including a significant number of cruise line passengers, visited the island during a 10-month period, according to the governmental Philippines Information Agency. Among the problems caused by the island’s long-running tourism boom were unregulated development, and pipes carrying raw effluence directly into the sea.

    In a survey of the island’s sewerage facilities prior to the closure, the vast majority — 716 of 834 — of residential and business properties were found to have no discharge permit and were presumed to be draining waste water directly into the sea, according to a report by the official Philippines News Agency.

    In February Duterte directly called out the alleged mismanagement of the island, accusing those responsible of turning it into a “cesspool.”

    “As long as there is shit coming out of those pipes draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of the day (to return)” to the island, he said at the time.

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  • AirAsia to launch flights from Taiwan to Boracay

    AirAsia to launch flights from Taiwan to Boracay

    Low cost airline AirAsia announced on Monday that it will launch flights from Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport to Boracay, as scheduled to reopen on Oct 26.

    AirAsia said the flights from Taiwan to Boracay will stop over in Manila, adding that it will offer at least 20% discount flight tickets to customers in the Taiwan market, the report said.

    Discounted tickets for flights between Nov 6, 2018 and Mar 21, 2019 will be available for sale from now to Oct 21, with a one-way ticket selling for NT$2,696 before tax, the carrier announced.

    Boracay, an internationally famous island resort, was closed by the Philippines government on April 26 to rectify the environmental pollution problem that was caused by overdevelopment and tourism. The government has recently announced that the island will be reopened to visitors on Oct. 26 and there will be a limit on the number of visitors, according to the report.

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  • Cebu Pacific to cancel flights during 6-month Boracay closure

    Cebu Pacific to cancel flights during 6-month Boracay closure

    Cebu Pacific will cancel its flights to and from Caticlan and Kalibo over the 6-month period that Boracay Island, the world-famous tourist destination, will be closed.

    The airline made the announcement close to midnight of Thursday, April 5, a few hours after President Rodrigo Duterte announced in a Cabinet meeting that he had accepted the recommendation of 3 agencies to shut down the island amid environmental concerns.

    In a statement on April 5, Cebu Pacific listed 19 flights – mostly catering to tourists – that would be stopped from April 26 to October 27.

    However, there are 6 flights it would retain “to serve local residents and ensure continuity of commerce in Northern Panay island” during the period.

    Flights canceled from April 26 to October 27:

    Manila-Caticlan-Manila (daily)

    • 5J 891/892
    • 5J 895/896
    • 5J 899/900
    • 5J 901/902
    • 5J 905/906
    • DG 6241/6242
    • DG 6243/6244
    • DG 6247/6248

    Cebu-Caticlan-Cebu (daily)

    • 5J 132/133

    Caticlan-Clark-Caticlan (daily)

    • DG 6298/6299

    Manila-Kalibo-Manila (daily)

    • 5J 331/332
    • DG 6317/6318

    Manila-Kalibo (Sunday-Thursday)

    • 5J 339

    Kalibo-Cebu

    • 5J 413 (daily)
    • 5J 415 (Sunday/Friday)

    Cebu-Kalibo-Cebu

    • 5J 416/417 (Sunday)

    Clark-Kalibo

    • 5J 351 (Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday)

    Kalibo-Clark

    • 5J 352 (Monday/Wednesday/Friday)

    Kalibo-Incheon-Kalibo (starting June 1)

    • 5J 180/181 (daily)
    • 5J 182/183 (daily)

    Cebu Pacific will operate the following flights from April 26 to October 27:

    • Manila-Kalibo 5J 337 – daily (except May 1-4)
    • Kalibo-Manila 5J 338 – daily (except May 1-4)
    • Manila-Caticlan DG 6245 – daily
    • Caticlan-Manila DG 6246 – daily
    • Cebu-Caticlan DG 6272 – daily
    • Caticlan-Cebu DG 6273 – daily

    The airline advised affected passengers to take any of the following options:

    • Get a full refund
    • Place the full value of the ticket in a travel fund for future use
    • Rebook the flight, subject to seat availability (via the ”Manage Booking” section in the Cebu Pacific website)
    • Reroute to any domestic destination, subject to seat availability

    “Guests who booked through a travel agent or any other third party are encouraged to provide us with their own contact details so they are directly advised about any flight changes,” Cebu Pacific said.

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  • AirAsia to change flight schedule due to Boracay closure

    AirAsia to change flight schedule due to Boracay closure

    AirAsia will change its flight schedule in line with the Philippines’ government order to close Boracay island for rehabilitation from April 26 to Oct 26, 2018.

    During the six-month period, AirAsia will make the following changes to its scheduled Caticlan (MPH) and Kalibo (KLO) flights.

    To not disrupt their guests’ holiday plans, AirAsia will mount additional flights to popular leisure destinations Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, and Davao in the Philippines.

    Guests who are affected by the changes and hold flight bookings from 26 April to 26 Oct, 2018 will be notified via email and SMS.

    “AirAsia strongly urges all guests to keep their email address and mobile number (with country code prefix) updated in their AirAsia member profile to ensure we can reach them for timely assistance,” said the low-cost airline in a statement on Thursday.

    For immediate assistance and additional information, customers can reach AirAsia via their contact channels listed on support.airasia.com.

    Listed below are the guides provided to assist customers.

    Affected guests will be able to choose one from the following service recovery options:

    a.     Change destination: Option to be accommodated on any domestic flights operated by AirAsia Philippines (carrier code Z2) within 30 days of the original travel date at no extra cost, subject to seat availability and government mandated taxes. Fare difference shall apply for international flights and changes to travel date beyond 30 calendar days; or

    b.     Move flight date: Change to a new travel date on the same route without additional cost, subject to seat availability; or

    c.     Credit account: Retain the value of fare in your AirAsia BIG Loyalty account for future travel with AirAsia. The online credit  account is valid for booking within 180 calendar days from the date of issue; or

    d.     Full refund: Obtain a full refund to your original payment method for the amount equivalent to your booking.

    Guests who wish to opt for move flight date, change destination or credit account are urged to fill in an e-Form available on support.airasia.com:

    1.     Click on the Email Us tab on the right panel

    2.     Select Enquiry/Request under Type of Feedback

    3.     Select Booking under Sub Category 1

    4.     Select Boracay Closure for Sub Category 2

    5.     Type in your option under Subject: “Boracay – Move Flight” OR ”Boracay – Change Destination” OR “Boracay – Credit Account”

    6.     Complete the remaining form fields and click Submit to proceed

    a.     For move flight, please provide new flight details (date and time) and passenger name(s)

    b.     For change of destination, please provide new destination, flight details (date and time) and passenger(s)

    c.     For credit account, please provide your AirAsia BIG Loyalty member ID

    Guests wanting a full refund must fill in an e-Form available on support.airasia.com:

    1.     Click on the Email Us tab on the right panel

    2.     Select Refund under Type of Feedback

    3.     Select Flight Cancellation under Sub Category 1

    4.     Type in Subject field: “Boracay – Refund”

    5.     Complete the remaining form fields and click Submit to proceed

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  • AirAsia celebrates Clark-Caticlan-Boracay inaugural flight

    AirAsia celebrates Clark-Caticlan-Boracay inaugural flight

    AirAsia is now flying direct to Boracay via Caticlan airport from Clark, Pampanga. The airline, voted the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for nine years running, flew its maiden flight today with summer inspired theme held at pre-departure area in Clark International Airport. AirAsia flight Z2 922, with pilot in command Captain Samuel Yu-Asensi arrived at 10:55 a.m. AirAsia’s iconic red plane was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute upon landing. Philippines AirAsia’s chief pilot for training and standards Captain Darren Acorda said, “Today marks another milestone for AirAsia operations in Clark airport with the addition of our third domestic route. We are closing the year with Clark-Caticlan route but this early we have already started offering our signature low fares to three more new destinations out of Clark. Clark-Iloilo, Clark-Puerto Princesa and Clark-Tacloban commencing in January, and we are here to give only the best quality service that every traveller from Central and Northern Luzon deserves.”

    To celebrate, AirAsia is offering promo fares for Clark-Caticlan from as low as P1,566 now available for booking at airasia.com today until 31 December 2017 valid for travel between December 18 2017 until January 8, 2018. Clark International Airport officials led by CIA Corporation President Alexander Cauguiran, DOT Regional Director Carol Uy, and Mabalacat Mayor Crisostomo Garbo graced the send-off ceremony with Philippines AirAsia chief pilot for training and standards Captain Darren Acorda representing the airline CEO Captain Dexter Comendador. “AirAsia believes in Clark. We established our base operations here and launched commercial flights in 2012 with only two planes – and now we have a fleet of 17 jets and we are aiming to expand and grow operations here in the coming years,” Acorda said. AirAsia’s Clark-Caticlan operates daily with flights departing Clark at 1:50 p.m. and arriving in Caticlan at 3:05 p.m. Meanwhile, AirAsia is also set to launch three domestic flights starting January 26, 2018.

    Clark-Puerto Princesa and Clark–Iloilo routes will operate three times a week or every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday while Clark–Tacloban route is every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. AirAsia has marked its return to Clark with the launching of flights to Davao and Kalibo from Clark International Airport last March. AirAsia launched commercial flights from Clark in 2012 before transferring its hub to Metro Manila following a strategic partnership with a local carrier in 2013. AirAsia has since been operating on a much larger scale from Metro Manila and has expanded its domestic and international network with flights from secondary hubs in Cebu and Kalibo operating a fleet of 17 aircraft from only two planes when it opened in Clark five years ago.

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  • Cebu Pacific to launch evening flights to Caticlan in July

    Cebu Pacific to launch evening flights to Caticlan in July

    Cebu Pacific Air will launch in July night flights to and from Caticlan, the gateway to tourism spot Boracay, the airline announced Thursday.

    The country’s leading budget airline said it would add two round-trip flights for this route daily, with the last leaving Manila at 6:55 PM and returning from Caticlan at 8:45 PM.

    This would bring to 72 the total number of Cebu Pacific flights to Caticlan, including the current 60 from Manila, Cebu and Clark.

    Cebu Pacific said it would be the first carrier to mount night flights and use the upgraded air traffic control system and newly-installed night navigational equipment at Caticlan’s Godofredo P. Ramos Airport.

    The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Department of Transportation, and other relevant aviation authorities gave the operations the green light after technical reviews and consultations on Caticlan Airport’s night operation capability.

    “We thank CAAP for continually leading the scale-up of our airports to night-flying capability. We believe that expansion of operating times will not only boost frequencies to key domestic routes, but it will also give travelers more options, greater flexibility on when they fly and also help decongest air traffic, especially during the peak flying hours at noon and early afternoon,” said JR Mantaring, Cebu Pacific’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs.

    Mantaring said the launch of evening flights to and from Boracay, world-renowed beach destination, was “a long-standing request of tourism stakeholders.”

    The additional flights, he said, would make flights available to more passengers.

  • AirAsia to resume flights between Clark, Kalibo

    AirAsia to resume flights between Clark, Kalibo

    In a statement, Philippines AirAsia said it will start the three flights weekly from Clark to Kalibo on March 27. The budget carrier will mount flights every Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

    “AirAsia has constantly dedicated itself to make air travel more affordable, convenient, and accessible to all and we are reaffirming this commitment with our newest Clark-Kalibo route. We are thrilled to provide the much needed connectivity at affordable fares for travellers from Central and Northern Luzon,” Philippines AirAsia CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said.

    To recall, AirAsia introduced commercial flights from Clark in 2012 before moving to the main gateway Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

    With the resumption of Clark flghts, AirAsia is offering promo fares to Kalibo from as low as P699 until Feb. 5. Travel period is between March 27 and Nov. 30, 2017.

  • Boracay Beach Resort deal secures Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

    Boracay Beach Resort deal secures Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

    Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has secured its own piece of paradise in one of Asia’s most exclusive holiday destinations, having signed a deal to manage the Sol Marina Resort, which will soon be renamed Mövenpick Resort Boracay, in the Philippines.

    Located in the north west of the island on idyllic Punta Bunga Beach, famed for its white powdery sand and aquamarine waters and considered one of Asia’s luxury resort hotspots, the upscale 333-key property will start welcoming guests in December 2015.

    The property will not only shore up Mövenpick’s presence in the Philippines, where it already manages Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu, but also bolster the hospitality firm’s portfolio of resort properties in top Asian locations. In Thailand the company operates two resorts in Phuket and one on Koh Samui, while construction is underway on properties in leisure destinations such as Pattaya, Thailand, Quy Nhon, Vietnam and Bali, Indonesia.

    “Signing a property in Boracay is a significant development for Mövenpick, as it cements our presence in one of Asia’s most established resort destinations,” explains Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and Asia.

    “Punta Bunga Beach, with its crystal-clear waters and soft white sand, is unspoiled and truly idyllic, attracting discerning travellers from all over the world from both the upscale leisure and corporate meetings segments.”

    Mattmüller also notes how the Filipino culture marries well with Mövenpick’s ‘We make moments’ guest promise, which guides the hospitality firm’s service ethics world over.

    “The Filipinos have a friendly attitude towards life; in the Philippines you will always receive a warm welcome,” he adds.

    Mövenpick Resort Boracay will comprise a cluster of three buildings nestled around the lagoon pool with most of the resort’s rooms and suites boasting sea views. Designed to give guests the ultimate luxury experience, the Presidential Suite will be housed in a stand-alone villa, featuring two bedrooms and a private pool.

    Key resort features will include family rooms; a kids club for young children and a games area for teens; and several dining outlets including Italian, Japanese and Korean restaurants plus a lobby lounge, beach club and swim-up pool bar. Meetings and events facilities will span a ballroom that can accommodate up to 450 guests for a seated dinner, three multi-function rooms and a boardroom.

    The property’s owner, Ambassador Alfredo Yao, who is also the founder and owner of the Philippines’ largest beverage producer, Zest-O and a partner in AirAsia Zest, Philippines, says signing the management agreement with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts marks the start of a “new exciting era” for the resort.

    “The rebranding of Sol Marina as Mövenpick Resort Boracay will mark a new beginning for our beautiful property, steered by the capable team at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, which has a formidable reputation as one of Asia’s top resort operators,” says Yao.

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