Various programs have come up to alleviate the agony of travel and tourism, the worst hit industry from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Globally, the hospitality sector alone suffered 110.8 million jobs lost with Asia-Pacific losing approximately 63.4 million jobs.

In the Philippines, 4.8 million people working in hotels has lost their jobs or had their salaries reduced. Worse, some hotels have closed since the start of lockdowns in March 17, 2020.

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) has taken up the task of keeping both the hotels sustainability and employees’ heads above water with creative sales and marketing programs.

This September 15 up to October 15, HSMA brings back their highly anticipated September Online Sales (SOS) in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), Atlantis, Isentia, and Cebu Pacific.

SOS 2021 brings back the online sales of various hotel vacation and food and beverages packages that had a successful run when it was launched last year.  The public can access by visiting the HSMA website via the link hsma.org.ph/sos from September 15 to October 15 2021. Buyers will get e-vouchers that can be used in a span of a year from date of purchase, and may be extended upon request depending on the hotel including consideration of black-out dates. 

“We are also including the ancillary services of the properties such as restaurants, bars, banquet packages, spa, gym and pool, and other facilities of each hotel,” said Benjie Martinez, HSMA President and Area Director of Sales and Marketing for Bayleaf Hotels.

Eighty hotels and resorts nationwide will be participating in this year’s SOS offering discounts as much as 70%. Last year’s event sold a total of 2,000 vouchers in a 15-day selling period, a testament of the public’s enthusiasm in travel and tourism despite restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic for the past 18 months.

The HSMA believes that SOS will empower Filipinos to make an investment of hope—not just in their future travels, but in the future of the industry and the country as well.

“This is our chance to extend a helping hand to the travel sector, so that they may regain their footing and continue serving the Filipino people through essential quarantine accommodations and leisure services.This is also a kind of victory over the pandemic, that we are seizing the opportunity to rediscover and reconnect with the beauty of our country,” said Margie Munsayac, HSMA Board Chair and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Bluewater Resorts.

Participating NCR properties with staycation deals, F&B credits and added offers include Acacia Hotel Manila, Astoria Plaza, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Discovery Primea, Dusit Thani Manila, Holiday Inn and Suites Makati, New World Makati, Oxford Suites Makati, Seda Residences Makati, Grand Hyatt BGC, Seda BGC, Shangri-La at the Fort, the Bellevue Manila, Bayview Park Hotel, Diamond Hotel Philippines, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Sheraton Manila Bay, The Bayleaf Intramuros, Winford Manila Resort and Casino, Jen Manila by Shangri-La, Manila Marriott Hotel, Okada Manila, Kingsford Hotel Manila, Microtel Wyndham Mall of Asia, EDSA Shangri-La, Joy-Nostalg Hotel and Suites Manila, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Discovery Suites, Ace Hotel and Suites, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, B Hotel Quezon City, and Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa.

The rest of Luzon will include Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, Grand Sierra Pines Hotel in Baguio, Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel, Vitalis Villas in Ilocos Sur, Rancho Bernardo Luxury resort in Bagac Bataan, Acuatico Beach Resort and Hotel, Acuaverde Beach Resort in Batangas, Seda Nuvali, Summit Ridge Tagaytay, and Twin Lakes Tagaytay.

Sun, sand, and sea fanatics will find irresistible packages across the Visayas region at Cebu’s Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan, Bluewater Maribago, Shangri-La Mactan, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, BE Resort Mactan, Quest Hotel and Conference Center Cebu, Savoy Hotel Mactan, Waterfront Cebu City, and Waterfront Airport Hotel Mactan while in Panglao, Bohol, are Bellevue Resort, Best Western Plus Ivy Wall Resort, and Mithi Resort and Spa.

Those who would want to discover or rediscover last year’s Best Island in the World, Palawan, will find enticing packages from Astoria in Puerto Princesa, Club Paradise in Busuanga, Bacau Bay Resort in Coron, and Miniloc Island Resort in El Nido.

Perennial top 5 Best Islands In The World, Boracay, has exciting discounts as well in Crimson Boracay, Astoria Current, Hue Hotels and Resorts, Movenpick Resort and Spa, Alta Vista de Boracay, Belmont Hotel Boracay, Feliz Hotel, Le Soleil de Boracay, Paradise Garden Hotel and Convention Center, Patio Pacific, Discovery Shores, and Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa. For those who want to visit the mainland,  Richmonde Hotel Iloilo also has discounted packages.

Not to be outdone, Davao also invites with the packages of Dusit D2 Davao, Dusit Lubi Plantation, and Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

Martinez stated that since February this year, HSMA has been facilitating bulk room requirements of the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA)for its members who have been arriving by the thousands on a regular basis. The association also proposed to DOT to prioritize hoteliers in the country’s vaccination program, farmed out a proposal from Duty Free Philippines a proposal for online “pasalubong” shopping for quarantined guests, besides their regular education and training seminars.

“HSMA has always been at the forefront of helping the hotel industry and with SOS, we will continue to strive and ensure that marketing efforts for our hotels are still happening despite the current very challenging situation. We hope the SOS will be that spark to bring the hotel industry back to life,” added Carmela Bocanegra, HSMA Director of Public Relations and Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Chroma Hospitality.

Be a part of the resurgence of the travel industry and book your much-deserved vacation now. Visit the HSMA website at www.hsma.org.ph/sos for the full list of participating hotels and resorts, and their available offers and packages. Follow HSMA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HSMAPH and Instagram account at @HSMAPhilippines.