Local accommodations expect to generate P3 million from the guests and athletes participating in the Ironman 70.3 this Sunday, which they believe is a good start to recover lost sales because of the pandemic and Typhoon Odette.
Joy Suarez, Astoria Palawan resort manager and president of the Association of Accredited Tourist Accommodations of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Inc. (AATAPPP), told Palawan News on Saturday that the city’s accommodations are 80 to 90 percent full.
Even small accommodations and those located outside of the city proper catered to guests for the first Ironman 70.3 triathlon race Puerto Princesa is hosting, she said.
“That’s significant knowing na after pandemic and typhoon–marami ang dala ang family, kaya may potential talaga na mag-stay sila ng matagal even [if] one day lang ang Ironman. So, may extension, if not extension, advance silang darating. Grabe ang traffic, ang mga restaurant halos puno, maraming kumakain,” she said.
Suares believed that it is also a good opportunity to boost the local products, such as souvenirs that maybe taken home as “pasalubong” by the participants and their families.
If Puerto Princesa continues to hold international events like Ironman, the they can recover their financial losses quickly, she explained.
She also expressed the hope that the local government’s improvements to tourist attractions would spur more travelers to visit the city. Additionally, more investors need to be invited and lured to open up more business opportunities in Puerto Princesa.
Suarez noted that the guests for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) in the city are also giving a bulk of tourists traffic.
“Maganda rin naman ang naging occupancy and I think ito na ‘yong start. Marami na ang nagbigay ng intent to hold events here even from Luzon na pupunta dito para gawin ang mga meeting, gathering, conference. At least, napipili nila ang Puerto Princesa,” Suarez said.
“Aside sa meron silang gagawin na event, ‘yong chance of visiting the destination, especially the underground river is really significant,” she said.
