Hotel operators in Cebu say that they are facing manpower difficulties in the post-pandemic period, despite rises in holiday bookings and increased MICE activity.
In statements to PhilStar, numerous hoteliers in Cebu noted that some personnel who lost their jobs during lockdown periods have sought employment abroad – at resorts and hotels and cruise ships – or have shifted to other industries.
Hotels are now ramping up training programs, requiring about three months to train up the employees for their new roles.
Much like in Macau, the manpower shortage accompanies an increase in tourist arrivals, particularly from Korea, the US, Australia and Europe, even while the Chinese and Japanese markets have been slow to return.
Hoteliers note that international guests also have high expectations, increasing pressure to meet their demands amongst the shortage and push to bring in more MICE travelers and high-spending foreign visitors.
The nation is working to rank in the Top 10 MICE destinations in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)’s global ranking by 2030.
The nation is also expecting some 4.8 million tourists this year, with 1H23 international visitors already reaching 2.7 million and tourism revenue rising by 502 percent yearly. The majority of these tourists were from South Korea, at 741,658, followed by the US, at 550,569.
