KADAYAWAN, Davao City’s biggest annual festival, draws a bigger crowd than the Christmas and dry-season holiday seasons, and hotels here are all set for the visitor surge during much of August.
“I talked to officials of some of the hotels. They said they are fully booked. We are very happy with it kasi paakyat ang bilang ng mga turista sa atin (because the number of tourists is increasing),” said City Tourism Office head Regina Rosa D. Tecson in an interview.
Davao City took in more than one million tourists in the five months to May, and Ms. Tecson said the city is on track to hit the three million target for the year.
In 2018, the city had 2.4 million visitors, up from two million in 2017.
The Royal Mandaya Hotel, one of the oldest and biggest in the city with 181 rooms, is fully-booked for August, according to General Manager Benjamin J. Banzon.
“Kadayawan is one of the highlights for the hotels in Davao because the stay of the guests, which average two nights and three days (for most of the year). During Kadayawan, their stay becomes four nights and five days. The Royal Mandaya Hotel now has no more available rooms,” Mr. Banzon said.
Most hotels prepare special attractions and menus for the Kadayawan, highlighting Davao’s attractions.
The Seda Abreeza said it will highlight its partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation and display a preserved eagles, named Diola, at the hotel lobby to help raise environmental awareness.
Seda Abreeza is also offering a number of specialty drinks, dishes, and spreads with Davao’s top products, including chocolate, Malagos cheeses, durian, mangosteen, pomelo and tuna.
Park Inn by Radisson Davao General Manager Emelyn M. Rosales said a majority of expected guests are Filipinos from the key feeder cities like Manila and Cebu.
“We target around 80% (occupancy rate), ending the month. We have prepared some room and food and beverage promotions for the period of Kadayawan,” Ms. Rosales said. — Maya M. Padillo
