SpotOn Travel

25/09/2023

DOT chief bares bold prospects for PH tourism at Global Tourism Economy Forum

Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco shared the Philippine government’s sustainability efforts for tourism and, at the same time, her bold prospects for the industry, before global tourism leaders attending the 10th edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Friday (Sept. 22).

“The Philippines is home to one of the longest coastlines in the world, as well as 70 to 80% of the Earth's biodiversity. We are one of the most megabiodiverse countries in the world and home to 10% of the world's marine protected area,” Secretary Frasco said during the panel discussion among tourism ministers who are members of the United Nations World Travel Organization (UNWTO) Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific.

“Sustainability and tourism have been an absolute necessity and the driving force of development for our country. As early as 2009 with the passage of the law that created the Tourism Act, sustainable tourism was identified by our government as being integral to our socio-economic development, and therefore, that has been the guiding force towards the programs and plans for the development of our tourism industry,” the tourism chief added.

19/09/2023

Philippines’ FIBA hosting boosts hotel occupancy, visitor arrivals – Tourism Chief

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines recently conquered the hard court with its successful hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, which the Philippines co-hosted with Japan and Indonesia, brought together thousands of local and international basketball fans in venues all over Metro Manila and Bulacan from August 25 until September 10, with over 38,000 spectators in attendance during the opening day at the Philippine Arena alone.

According to Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the country’s historic hosting of a sporting event as big as the FIBA World Cup 2023 brought favorable developments to the tourism industry, particularly the accommodation sector where an uptick in occupancy rates was recorded throughout the tournament duration.

“FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 has brought to the fore our excellent hospitality and the distinct Filipino virtues of familial welcome and warmth for our guests. The country’s undisputed love for basketball also shone from our united support for our Gilas Team to the record-breaking attendance on opening day. This winning feat also manifested in tourism, with teams, basketball fans, families, and members of country delegations enjoying our accommodation and hospitality industries, and discovering our local destinations,” the Tourism Chief said, revealing the Department’s commitment to further develop the promising sports tourism portfolio.

Based on the report by the Department’s National Capital Region Office (DOT-NCR), all nine (9) FIBA official hotels in the NCR—where most of the FIBA official venues were located—saw a higher average hotel occupancy from August 25 to September 12.

09/09/2023

Enjoy a weekend of food-filled activities with Mangaon Ta! happening this September 8-10, 2023 at Plaza Independencia.

Taste delicious dishes and delicacies from hotels and restaurants to offer Plus, there will be nightly activities to complement your food adventure.

It's going to be a weekend of food-filled activities. Join us for Mangaon Ta! happening this September 8-10, 2023.

We have invited over 30 booth vendors from hotels and restaurants to offer delicious dishes and delicacies. Plus, there will be nightly activities to complement your food adventure. See details below for the schedule!

Ali, mangaon ta!

07/09/2023

PHILIPPINES WINS “ASIA’S LEADING DIVE DESTINATION” AT PRESTIGIOUS WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2023

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam—Solidifying its status as the ultimate diving destination in the region, the Philippines has clinched for the fifth consecutive year the Asia’s Leading Dive Destination title at the preeminent World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023.

Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco announced the remarkable feat on Wednesday (Sept. 6), following the WTA Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023 that took place at the GEM Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“The Philippines’ fifth consecutive win as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination further affirms the unparalleled beauty and megabiodiversity of our country loved by divers and tourists all over the world,” enthused Secretary Frasco, who is a dive advocate and certified diver herself.

The tourism chief added that “this is a testament to the Philippines' commitment to sustainable tourism development and our strengthened collaboration with tourism stakeholders. From our ridges to our reefs, you will never run out of reasons to Love the Philippines!”

06/09/2023

Yesterday we were &

A marriage of flavors from Italy and the Philippine, Bacio Gelato Gourmet is located at 168 E Aguirre st, Pilit, Cabanclan, Mandaue, but yesterday we were treated to a Coffee Pairing Afternoon at Tightrope Coffee located at One Paseo Banilad.

You may contact .gelato.ph via email [email protected] or mobile +63 967 354 5019

01/09/2023

34TH PHILIPPINE TRAVEL MART (PTM) OPENING CEREMONY
PASAY City
(One-stop-shop travel fair )

Happening from 01 to 03 September at Halls 1 to 4 of the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, the PTM is a powerhouse annual event that brings together the accommodation sector, travel agencies, tour operators, theme parks, airlines, and other tourism-related establishments.

As a one-stop-shop travel trade show, travel-minded public can avail of discounted vacation packages and tour promos from over 200 exhibitors representing the various regions from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In its 34th edition, the PTM offers a diverse and wide array of tourism products from a variety of exhibitors. Guests will have a visual feast of the different installations, booths, and displays showing the rich and exciting tourism offerings available in the country.

As added features to this year’s travel fair, PTM has dedicated zones for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (M.I.C.E.), outdoor tourism activities, as well as niche and major tourism portfolios such as sun and beach, cruise offerings, and marine sports, culture and heritage, farm tourism, health and wellness, and culinary packages, among others.

The PTM began as a DOT initiative in 1989, with the primary objective of catering both to trade and consumer market. In 1994, the PHILTOA embraced its mandate to ensure the annual staging of the PTM, and since then organized, managed, and operated the event as its flagship project.

“The Philippine Travel Mart reflects all the reasons to love the Philippines. All of our regions in the country are represented and they have brought the best of the best of their destinations—their products, their festivals, their indigenous peoples, especially from Mindanao, and it also shows how much our tourism stakeholders have worked so hard to ensure that the Philippine tourism rises back stronger than ever,” Secretary Frasco added in a separate interview.

29/08/2023

DOT INKS DEAL WITH CEBU LGU FOR MORE TOURIST REST AREAS
“HERITAGE CITY” CARCAR THANKS DOT FOR TRA

CARCAR CITY, Cebu – The heritage city of the south gets a tourism boost after the turnover of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Tourist Rest Area (TRA) led by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte, and DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.

The turnover and inauguration ceremony was also attended by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco, and Carcar City Mayor Patricio Barcenas, and TIEZA COO Mark Lapid and graciously witnessed by Senators Manuel ‘Lito’ Lapid and Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, Jr. last Friday, 27 August.

"As we ventured to fulfill our President’s vision to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia, we made the effort to listen. We listened to our tourism stakeholders, we listened to our tourists, and their concern was common, and that is that to and from the beautiful destinations across the country, they needed a place to rest, they needed amenities, and they needed clean and decent restrooms," Secretary Frasco enthused.

27/08/2023

DOT IN FULL SUPPORT TO FIBA WORLD CUP OPENING DAY
(source: DOT Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy )

BULACAN -- Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the country’s hosting of the Basketball World Cup 2023 is a big boost to the tourism industry, and will further position the Philippines as a sports tourism destination.

The Philippines is hosting this year's edition of the highly-anticipated FIBA basketball tournament, along with Japan and Indonesia.

"With our shared love and passion for basketball, we celebrate this historic hosting as an opportunity to showcase to the world the beauty of the Philippines, and treat our guests to the world-renowned Filipino hospitality," Secretary Frasco said.

"From our sites, our sounds, our flavors, our festivals, our stories, and our smiles, we join a proud nation grateful and blessed to show the world the many reasons to Love the Philippines," she added.

A record of more than 38,000 spectators attended the opening day of the FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan held Friday (25 August) evening, while 600,000 people are expected to watch the games in identified venues including Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, and Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, from August 25 until September 10.

25/08/2023

DISCOVER KOREAN CUISINE AT THE Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

From 25-27 August, experience MASH*TA at their Café Marco! For a limited engagement only, the lunch and dinner buffets will feature the many delights of when Korean guest chef Choi Hwang Min.

Korean for “delicious”, this weekend’s MASH*TA! Promises to be a cultural dining experience, replete with home-made dumplings, hand-pulled noodles and many other dishes crafted by hand and using traditional cooking techniques. Chef Choi’s Palbochae, or 8-treasures seafood stir-fried with vegetables and Tangsuyuk, pork coated in crisp potato starch with a sweet and tangy sauce, are easily crowd favorites. Perfect for the cool rainy season are traditional jjampong, a well-loved spicy seafood soup or the warm, hearty, spicy and savory kimchi jjigae, among others.

Reservations are highly recommended. Send an email to@marcopolocebu
[email protected] or call +63 919 083 6768. Alternately guest may book conveniently through this link:

https://forms.gle/zpXoUmBG5pG1k3sZ8

08/07/2022

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s Chocoholic Weekend

This July, the Lobby Lounge of the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu presents a gastronomic dream for chocolate lovers. Dubbed Tout Chocolat, the mid-afternoon buffet is chocolate heaven: Hors d’oeuvres, pastries, cakes and desserts all feature an element of chocolate. From subtle to savoury, fruity and deep chocolate flavours, the all-chocolate affair is a gourmet treat for those looking for a new dining experience.

A key feature of Tout Chocolat are dishes created from the high quality cacao tablea of internationally acclaimed The Chocolate Chamber. Founded in Cebu, TCC is an artisanal chocolate company devoted to raising the level of locally-produced cacao beans to global standards. If you are lucky, you might get a glimpse of the Chocolate Queen herself, Raquel T. Choa and catch a quick educational discourse on the history and art of making chocolate.

“Chocolate is unique to any food in the world. Beneficial as it is indulgent, chocolate is said to possess mood-enhancing qualities that reduce stress and trigger feelings of pleasure, happiness and comfort”, shares Marco Polo’s Executive Chef Juanito Abangan. “With Tout Chocolate we are excited to present you the delightful magical qualities of chocolate to enjoy with family and friends”.
Priced at Php 595 per person, Tout Chocolat mid-afternoon buffet starts from 3pm to 6pm on July 7 and July 9, and every Saturday in July thereafter. Prices already include taxes and service charge.

To book a table, call +63 919 083 6768 or email [email protected].

11/06/2022

Fit for a King!

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu celebrates Father’s Day.

FATHER’S DAY CAFÉ MARCO BUFFET

Celebrate Dad’s special day at Cebu City’s favorite buffet! Indulge in Café Marco’s special feast featuring their international buffet spread. Buffet Brunch on June 19 is at Php1,700 per person and dinner at Php1,988 per person inclusive of service charge and taxes. Buffet includes drink coolers.

Reserve your table and call 0919 083 6768 or email [email protected]

FATHER’S DAY CAKE OFFER
Treat Dad like royalty with a special deluxe cake, Chocolate Mango Truffle at Php800 inclusive of service charge and taxes. This chocolate sponge cake is made with dark chocolate and mango mousse, filled with mango cubes, infused with rum and coated with chocolate ganache. Pre-order on or before 5:00 PM on June 17 and pick-up on June 18 or 19.

To order call 0919 083 6768 or email [email protected].
Happy Father’s Day!

09/06/2022

La Plage Club is an outdoor club with a swimming pool, restaurants, karaoke, VIP Party Villas , and performances from international & local DJ’s and live bands. Located in Cebu’s North Reclamation Area, La Plage is an outdoor pool club that’s only a few minutes away from SM City Cebu, Parkmall and bai Hotel.

For inquiries, message them on
https://www.facebook.com/laplagecebu or call them at 0966 186 0112

01/06/2022

CHEERS TO THE GRADUATES!

A graduation is as special as how you celebrate it.

A family lunch or dinner at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu's Café Marco will complement this milestone. To make it even more memorable, dine as a group of five and the graduate’s meal is free.

Valid on weekends of June 2022.

For reservations call +63 919 083 6768 or email [email protected]

For more information and to be updated with all our offers, you may follow Marco Polo Plaza Cebu page at facebook.com/marcopolocebu.

01/06/2022

Cebu Business Month and Cebu Safari & Adventure Park present GO RACE Cebu: The Great Safari Experience.

Run through portions of this beautiful 170-hectare world-class destination. With over 1000 different animals from 120 species, this is surely going to be a race to remember.

Presented by Filinvest Land Inc., PLDT Enterprise, Smart Communications, Inc., and NUSTAR Resort, and co-presented by Cebu Landmasters, Inc., Maya Business, and IPI with platinum sponsors ARTHALAND Corporation, Ayala Malls Cebu, Cebu Pacific Air, Converge ICT Solutions Inc., Eastern Communications, Qualfon Philippines, and SB Finance.

Details to follow!
See you in the wild 🦁

This July, get ready as we take you on a different kind of race adventure.

Cebu Business Month and Cebu Safari & Adventure Park present GO RACE Cebu: The Great Safari Experience.

Run through portions of this beautiful 170-hectare world-class destination. With over 1000 different animals from 120 species, this is surely going to be a race to remember.

Presented by Filinvest Land Inc., PLDT Enterprise, Smart Communications, Inc., and NUSTAR Resort, and co-presented by Cebu Landmasters, Inc., Maya Business, and IPI with platinum sponsors ARTHALAND Corporation, Ayala Malls Cebu, Cebu Pacific Air, Converge ICT Solutions Inc., Eastern Communications, Qualfon Philippines, and SB Finance.

Details to follow!

See you in the wild 🦁

01/06/2022

Sarangani beach fest makes low-key return

After being sidelined for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sarangani Bay (SarBay) Festival made a soft come back albeit in a toned-down environmental initiative to help preserve the bay’s fragile ecosystem.

Regarded as the biggest beach party in the archipelago with a variety of sporting and wellness events and over 100,000 visitors, the fest highlighted the underwater collection of crown of thorns (COT) which prey on the coral reefs of Sarangani Bay, one of the country’s most biodiversity-rich protected seascapes.

Volunteers scuba divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units of Sarangani Province, and the Philippine National Police led the four-day environmental effort, where they were able to collect some 47,000 COTs in the beach resort towns of Maasim and Glan in Sarangani.

Dubbed as Wake Up Sarbay, the scaled-down festivities also featured the SarBay Sea-kad Bike and Plant r ide where cyclists pedaled from the provincial capitol complex in Alabel town to the mangrove forest in Malapatan and Mt Sabrina Resort in Glan.

Moreover, the Department of Tourism Region 12 also launched its Dive Sox program to promote the Soccsksargen Region as alternative dive spots in southern Mindanao. The current dive haven in the region is Maasim town because of the presence of the Lemlunay Resort, the only dive center in Sarangani.

The DOT dive program aims to expand the dive areas to Glan, which launched its own program last year, and to the coastal municipalities of Sultan Kudarat province.

Wake Up Sarbay drew to a close with a Touch Mobile-sponsored evening concert at the famed Gumasa white beach featuring Daybreak band and Kakang of Virgu.



Named in 1996 by Presidential Proclamation 756 as a Protected Seascape, Sarangani Bay’s coral resources cover more than 2,293 hectares spread over 20 areas with about 60 important live hard coral genera, 411 reef species in 46 families. Its seagrass cover is placed at 912 hectares, with 11 species.



Marine mammal species, which include spinner dolphins, risso’s dolphins, and dugong or sea cow, are often sighted which attests to the bay’s healthy marine life.



The bay has been experiencing occasional outbreaks of COTs over the past few years due to the loss of its natural predators such as the Triton trumpet, Napoleon wrasse, white-spotted pufferfish, and titan triggerfish which keep its population in check.



The rise in sea surface temperature due to climate change and deterioration of water quality also contribute to the growth of COTs across various bodies of water across the country.

30/05/2022

Azienda Gracia is an organic farm with a big treehouse that has open living spaces on the main floor, bedrooms on the loft and kitchen on the lower ground. Its spacious main living spaces is good for vacations, workshops and seminars, or simply chill and relax while being surrounded by Nature. This is a working farm with farm animals and livestock, vegetable garden, fruit trees, native tree collection, stingless bees and more.

For bookings, message their official page or visit their AirBnb:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/47294430?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=2e3aa5fd-a533-4dd1-8eb1-af7ce31732aa

26/05/2022

May WE STAY at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Deluxe Mountain View Room for Two [2]
WEEKDAYS [Sunday to Thursday] rate starts at Php3,300 nett per room, per night with set breakfast for two

WEEKENDS [Friday & Saturday] rate starts at Php3,800 nett per room per night with breakfast buffet on weekends and select holidays

Stay Validity: May 1 to 31, 2022
*The Php 3,800 Nett Rate applies to dates breakfast buffet is served in Cafe Marco.
Book Now:
☎️2531111
📧[email protected]
Limited Rooms | Terms & Conditions Apply

25/05/2022

La Vue Cabine in Toledo City offers some of the most spectacular views of the, the mountains of Cebu Province, as well as glorious sunsets and the calm ocean
La Vue Cabine has these amenities:
• Comfortable beds for up to a dozen people
• Staff that can prepare meals for you for breakfast, lunch, & dinner
• Hot and cold shower
• A dipping pool
• Flat-screen TV with cable
• WiFi
• Board games
• The staff can even prepare a bonfire at night for you and your group to gather around.It's a one-hour drive west of Cebu City and you can get there via a Balamban-bound van from the terminal in Ayala Center .
To book a stay at La Vue Cabine, send them a direct message on their page: https://www.facebook.com/lavuecabinecebu

24/05/2022

DRIVE, DINE AND DISCOVER CAVITE THROUGH AAP CARAVAN

Cavite may be an all-too familiar destination, being Metro Manila’s next-door neighbor and urban satellite. But despite its gentrification in recent decades, the province is home to many under-the-radar attractions hiding from plain sight, particularly in the interiors of Maragondon and Silang.

Rediscover the historical, cultural, culinary and countryside spots of these towns as AAP Lakbay rolls on its second caravan this year on May 28.

The drive tourism arm of the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP), the country’s national auto club, AAP Lakbay has been doing a series of “Drive, Dine and Discover” caravans across the country’s key destinations over the past decade to promote domestic tourism.

The caravan will visit Maragondon’s Church of the Our Lady of the Assumption, listed by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure, and the Bonifacio Trial House Museum where Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio was given the death sentence by fellow Filipino revolutionaries in 1897 due to trumped up charges.

Participants will also feast on native lunch onboard a bamboo raft cruise at the scenic Inuquit River, once adjudged as among the country’s cleanest and greenest body of water.

For souvenir shopping, there’s Likhang Maragondon, an award-winning local enterprise which is helping revive the town’s age-old weaving tradition and bamboo craft by making them available to a bigger market.

Meanwhile, pit stops in Silang include Cornerstone Pottery for artisanal craft, Ilayang Pulo Garden Center for plant shopping for “plantitos” and “plantitas”, and will be capped with a taste of heirloom delicacies at Asiong Caviteño Restaurant.



“The AAP Lakbay Cavite caravan will feature the lesser-known but equally exciting history, food, and crafts of the province as part of the tourism reboot of the Calabarzon Region,” says Marites Castro, acting regional director of the Department of Tourism-Calabarzon which is a major supporter of the event.

She said that the DOT regional office launched last December the Green Corridor circuits in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon which are compliant with the government’s pandemic protocols.

She added that the caravan is among the private initiatives to promote “green circuits” to tour operators and travelers.

Moreover, AAP Lakbay president Mina Gabor, the group is lining up more unique destinations off the beaten path through well-curated itineraries to spread tourism’s benefits to provincial communities.

The former tourism secretary noted that the caravans are worry-free trips which emphasize road safety, pride of place, and sustainable tourism.

The Cavite caravan is also supported by official fuel partner Petron Corp., Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), and Mapfre Insurance, which all share the advocacy of promoting domestic tourism and allied industries.

For details, email [email protected] or follow AAP Lakbay on Facebook.

24/05/2022

Tourism is back in the Philippines and we are here for you!

We started SpotOn to help people find the most “SpotOn” places in the country. We got a little sidetracked over the last couple of years, but now that the doors of hotels and travel destinations are opening again, we have decided to use this space to help in promoting all of you.

So if you have an event that you want us to cover, let us know. If you have a new room offering or restaurant menu, let us know. We are your travel buddies

19/10/2021

What is your color for 2022?