MANILA – The recent years have witnessed an upswing in the tourism industry and according to Colliers International’s Second Quarter 2015 Research and Forecast Report on the Philippines, the number of foreign arrivals to the country improved in the first five months of 2015, with year-to-date 2015 figures representing an 8.15% rise from the same period in 2014.
With this trend is the growing need to improve the quality of destinations and the availability of more accommodations in more parts of the country. Of particular note is the entry of a new kind of accommodation: the serviced apartment — a fully-furnished apartment with amenities usually available in hotels. It is a cheaper alternative to hotels, making it ideal for both short and long term stays.
For such sector of the tourism market, serviced apartments are fast becoming a viable alternative. The services and amenities of high-end serviced apartments are comparable to those of the hotel counterparts, with the added feature of being able to accommodate long-term stays.
The Colliers report also notes that the prevalence of direct flights from international locations to provincial destinations such as Cebu and Davao make stopping in Metro Manila unnecessary. This trend caters to a unique sector of the tourism market.
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