Cebu hospitality industry sees ‘a happy Sinulog’ after festival’s return to ‘city’

Local

HOTELS and accommodations in Metro Cebu are seeing a positive impact now that the Sinulog Festival has been brought back to the city’s major thoroughfares after its two-year stint at the South Road Properties (SRP).

Alfred Reyes, president of the Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. (HRRACI), said that the hotel industry is enthusiastic about the prospect of tourists booking hotels around the city.

"Next year, 2025, since this will be in the city, my forecast is that it will be a happy Sinulog... Not just only for the accommodation sector, but also for the restaurant sector," he said during a year-end media interview on Friday, December 20.

Reyes revealed that many hotels have already achieved impressive booking numbers, with some reporting 70 percent of their total room capacity reserved as early as the first week of December.

He said that this is an improvement compared to the past two years when Sinulog at SRP resulted in notably lower hotel occupancy rates.

"When it was announced that it was in SRP, of course, the hotels themselves were basically dismayed. They were dismayed. Why is it in SRP?" said Reyes, who is the General Manager of Bai Hotel Cebu in Mandaue City.

"So, now that it has been announced that it will be in the city. Nikalit og kabuhi ang mga hotels," he added.

The relocation of Sinulog to SRP in 2023 and 2024 was spearheaded by former Mayor Michael Rama, who envisioned a grander venue for the festival to accommodate larger crowds and elevate its international appeal.

Rama argued that SRP offered ample space for contingents, spectators, and stage setups, making it an ideal location for the evolving scale of the Sinulog Festival.

However, the decision faced backlash due to logistical challenges, including poor accessibility, inadequate facilities like shade and restrooms, and muddy, unfinished grounds that caused widespread discomfort.

Stakeholders, including businesses and the hospitality sector, voiced their concerns about the festival’s diminishing charm and its adverse effects on tourism and local commerce.

Last August, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced that the festival would return to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) and the city’s main streets for the 2025 celebration.

Garcia emphasized that the move aimed to restore the festival’s vibrancy and address the concerns of stakeholders who felt alienated during its years at the SRP.

Garcia, the former running mate of Rama, assumed as the new mayor after Rama was suspended and ultimately dismissed by the Ombudsman due to non-payment of four City Hall employees and a nepotism case, respectively.

Meanwhile, Reyes said that he is reminding their partners to always adhere to local city ordinances, particularly regarding a possible ban on parties that might be implemented by the city government during the Sinulog period.

"So, this is just to avoid the rumbles, the unruly, which is... we want a peaceful Sinulog. Hopefully, everyone will be responsible enough to make sure that the Sinulog is peaceful," he said.(MyTVCebu)