As a lifestyle blogger, I spend the majority of my time traveling to new destinations and reviewing hotels. I occasionally bring my family on a staycation since we can find great prices from hotels all around the country. This September, I’ll tell you where to find the best online deals! Yes, because the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association of the Philippines is hosting its largest online travel fair to date! The September Online Sale (2023) returns this year with its largest edition yet—a month-long event that welcomes travelers across the Philippines to rediscover the country’s stunning places. Here I am from last year’s hotel staycation in Boracay, Bohol and Tagaytay.
Offering the best deals from the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association’s member-properties in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, SOS 2023 has 87 participating hotels and resorts, the most in the annual event’s four-year run. These include discounts on room stays, weekend getaways, rejuvenating spa experiences and other recreational offers, as well as on restaurants, meetings and conferences packages, and banquet occasions, such as weddings. birthdays, anniversaries.
SOS participating hotels and resorts include:
Acacia Hotel Manila, Belmont Hotel Manila, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, Holiday Inn Express Manila, Newport City, Kingsford Hotel Manila, Marriott Hotel Manila, Okada Manila, Savoy Hotel Manila, Sheraton Manila, Solaire Resort, The Bellevue Manila, and The Heritage Hotel Manila in the Alabang/Pasay/Parañaque area;
Alta Vista de Boracay, Belmont Hotel Boracay, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay, Discovery Shores Boracay, Feliz Hotel Boracay, Hue Hotels and Resorts Boracay, Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel, Movenpick Resort & Spa Boracay, Patio Pacific Boracay, Savoy Hotel Boracay, and The Lind Boracay in Boracay;
Armada Hotel Manila, Bayview Park Hotel, Dusit Thani Manila, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, I’M Hotel, New World Makati Hotel, One Pacific Place Serviced Residences, Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central, Seda Residences Makati, The Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences, and Winford Resort & Casino Manila in the cities of Manila and Makati;
Best Western Plus Metro Clark, Clark Marriott Hotel, Grand Sierra Pines Baguio, and Quest Plus Conference Center in Central Clark, SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western, AC Luxe Angeles City, and Swissotel Clark in North Luzon; Bai Hotel Cebu, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, Fili Hotel Cebu – Nustar, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, MetroCentre Hotel and Convention Center, Mithi Resort and Spa, Modala Beach Resort, Quest Hotel Conference Center Cebu, The Bellevue Resort, Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan, and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino in Cebu and Bohol;
Bacau Bay Resort Coron, Club Paradise Palawan, Dusit Thani Hotels and Resorts Davao, Four Points by Sheraton Palawan Puerto Princesa, Seda Lio, Huni Lio, Lihim Resort, Miniloc Island Resort, The Oriental Leyte, and Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao in Palawan, Leyte, and Davao;
Ace Hotel & Suites, B Hotel Quezon City, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Discovery Suites, F1 Hotel Manila, Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites Manila, Luxent Hotel, Novotel Suites Manila at Acqua, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Seda BGC, Seda Vertis North, and The Linden Suites in Quezon City and Ortigas;
Acuatico Beach Resort, Acuaverde Beach Resort and Hotel, Anya Resort Tagaytay, Club Balai Isabel, Hotel Casiana Tagaytay, Pico Sands Hotel, Quest Hotel Tagaytay, Seda Nuvali, Summit Ridge Tagaytay, Taal Vista Hotel, and Twin Lakes Hotel in South Luzon.
The best part is that SOS vouchers have no expiry date, which allows Filipinos to make long-term travel plans. This allows them to also get deals for two of the busiest travel seasons: the Yuletide holidays and summer. I can’t wait to travel again!
“Domestic travelers now start planning their vacations early as this allows them to catch seat sales too,” explains Loleth So, HSMA President and Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Savoy and Belmont Hotel Manila Megaworld Hotels and Resorts. ”That’s why SOS is very timely.”
Established in response to the challenges posed to the travel and hospitality industry by the pandemic, SOS has grown to be the largest online travel sale in the Philippines, says Margie Munsayac, HSMA Chair and Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Bluewater Resorts. It has experienced 10 -15 percent year-on-year growth: In 2020, total revenue was at P14.1M, with 1,752 vouchers sold; in 2021 that figure jumped to P29.6M, and 5,164 vouchers; and last year, revenue was at P36.8M, equivalent to 5,854 vouchers sold.
And with travel and hospitality in the Philippines still only halfway to reaching its pre-pandemic level, Munsayac says SOS will continue to focus on helping all industry players continue on their journey to recovery.
“At the end of the day, SOS is really about forging partnerships and ensuring that we all work together towards our collective growth,” she adds.
The September Online Sale: Eat, Stay, Love, The Joys of Travel will run from September 1 – 30, 2023. Vouchers may be purchased at www.HSMA.org.ph/SOS. The event is supported by the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board, Atlantis, and Isentia. For more information, visit the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association website: hsma.org.ph/sos , or the HSMA Facebook page: @hsmaph.