Mindanao's Davao Develops Mtgs., Incentives

<B> Mindanao's Davao Develops Mtgs., Incentives</B>

By Judy Jacobs

<I>Davao, Philippines</I> - The country's third largest city is experiencing a burst of economic activity these days.

Several hoteliers are developing new properties, a conference center will open later this spring and the airport will build a new terminal and an extended runway.

Spurred by the country's economic diversification, these efforts are also the result of an inter-governmental alliance among Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, which is bringing investments into the island of Mindanao.

Mindanao, the fruit basket of the Philippines and home to most of the country's Muslim population, has strong cultural and historic ties to Malaysia and Indonesia, connections which the governments of all three countries are working to strengthen.

With its improved infrastructure, the city is also intent on becoming more established as an attractive meeting and incentive destination in Southeast Asia.

One of the first moves in this direction is the opening of the Samal Casino Resort this month on Samal Island off the coast of Davao.

Half of Samal Island, which is about the size of Singapore, is being developed into the Samal Island Tourist Estate, which eventually will feature 4,000 hotel rooms, a golf course and a host of other facilities.

The property, accessible by a 45-minute ferry ride from Davao, has 300 guest rooms spread down a hillside overlooking the sea. The resort complex has been purpose-built for corporate meetings and conventions, and company officials expect that 70 percent of the business will come from the group sector. Group facilities include a ballroom seating 1,600 and three meeting rooms.

The facility also includes a casino, which will open with the hotel, and an 18-hole golf course, set to be complete near the end of next year.

On the mainland, Accor will soft-open its 230-room Mecure Grand Hotel later this spring on a site four miles from the city's center. Facilities include an executive floor, a business center, butler service, a casino and a ballroom accommodating up to 600 people.

<B>Improved Air Service</B>

Meanwhile, the Apo View Hotel, the second oldest hotel in the Philippines, will add 22 additional rooms to be completed later this year.

"About 70 percent of our business is corporate transient and conferences," said Carnenchu Wenceslao, director of sales. Meeting facilities include a ballroom that seats 1,000 people and five function rooms that hold from 10 to 150 attendees.

In the hills above Davao, work continues on the Eden Mountain Resort, which opened last fall with 10 cottages and meetings facilities for 60 people.

By the end of the decade, plans call for a seminar village accommodating 300 people. By the end of this year, meanwhile, the hotel will complete a nine-hole golf course.

As for getting here, the city is upgrading its airport facilities. Davao International Airport will open its new passenger terminal next year and, at the same time, extend its runway to accommodate larger aircraft. The facility until now could handle planes no larger than A300s. Once the runway project is completed, Davao will be able to service B747 aircraft.

The city also is expanding air service. Philippine Airlines now flies to Manila from Davao four times a day and to Cebu twice a day. Silk Air flies twice a week from Singapore, Malaysia Airlines twice weekly from Kuala Lumpur via Kota Kinabalu, and Indonesia's Bouraq flies three times per week between Davao and Manado on the island of Sulawesi.

Malaysia charter carrier Saeaga Airline plans to begin scheduled charters between Kuala Lumpur and Davao via Kuching this spring. The airline, which currently flies between Kuala Lumpur and Cebu and Kuala Lumpur and Subic Bay four times a week, now operates CRJ50s but has ordered seven A320s to use on its Malaysia-Philippines routes.