This September, it’s time to let your wanderlust kick in as local travel industry players hold its much-awaited annual tradition: the September Online Sale (SOS)!
Organized by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association of the Philippines (HSMA), the event’s theme will be “Eat. Stay. Love,” an invitation for the traveling public to re-engage with the world and live a fuller life by rediscovering the joys of travel. The online travel mart will showcase an array of hospitality packages, which include room stays, weekend getaways, rejuvenating spa experiences, enriching recreational offers such as packaged group tours, and delicious food and beverage deals.
Travelers can also look forward to planning more life milestones with the help of SOS, since the fair will also offer discounts on restaurants, meetings and conference packages, and banquet occasions, such as weddings, debuts, and engagement parties among many others.
From the safety and comfort of home, travelers can browse the SOS website https://www.hsma.org.ph/sos/ from September 1-30 without having to deal with the rush, panic, or crowds of your typical travel bazaars. “From a 15-day event in our first year, we’ve planned a month-long travel mart. We are also including the ancillary services of the properties such as restaurants, bars, banquet packages, spa, gym and pool, and other facilities of the hotel, making this year’s campaign more thrilling and inviting,” says Benjie Martinez, HSMA President and Area Director of Sales & Marketing for Bayleaf Hotels.
From Metro Manila to the Southern Tagalog region, to popular beach destinations in Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, and Davao, there’s a deal for everyone at this month-long travel fair that will showcase 78 resorts and hotels namely: In Manila, Bayview Park Hotel, Diamond Hotel Philippines, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, The Bayleaf Intramuros, and Winford Manila Resort and Casino; in Pasay and Parañaque, Belmont Hotel Manila, Conrad Manila, Golden Phoenix Hotel Manila, Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City, Kingsford Hotel Manila, Midas Hotel and Casino, Okada Manila, Savoy Hotel Manila, and The Heritage Hotel Manila.
In Makati, BGC, and Alabang, Acacia Hotel Manila, Dusit Thani Manila, F1 Hotel Manila, New World Makati Hotel, Seda BGC, Seda Residences Makati, and The Bellevue Manila; in Ortigas/Pasig, Ace Hotel and Suites, Astoria Plaza, Discovery Suites, Joy Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, The Linden Suites; in Quezon City and Clark, Pampanga, B Hotel Quezon City, Clark Marriott Hotel, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA, Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, and Seda Vertis North.
In the Southern Tagalog region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Tagaytay), Acuatico Beach Resort & Hotel, Inc., Acuaverde Beach Resort and Hotel, Anya Resort Tagaytay, Pico Sands Hotel, Quest Hotel Tagaytay, Seda Nuvali, Summit Ridge Tagaytay, Taal Vista Hotel, The Bayleaf Cavite, Twin Lakes Hotel Inc.; in Boracay, Astoria Current, Belmont Hotel Boracay, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay, Discovery Shores Boracay, Feliz Hotel Boracay, Le Soleil de Boracay, Savoy Hotel Boracay, and The Lind Boracay; in Cebu, bai Hotel Cebu, Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort Panglao, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, El Mar Resort, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Savoy Hotel Mactan, Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino, and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.
In Bohol, Leyte, and Iloilo, Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, Mithi Resort and Spa, Modala Beach Resort, Richmonde Iloilo, The Bellevue Resort, The Oriental Leyte; and, finally, in Palawan and Davao, Astoria Palawan, Bacau Bay, Club Paradise Palawan, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, Dusit Thani Residence Davao, dusitD2 Davao, El Nido Resorts – Pangulasian Island, Huni Lio, Miniloc Island Resort, Seda Lio, and Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.
All vouchers bought during the sale will have no expiry date. Last year’s SOS sold over 5,100 vouchers, or equivalent to P29.2 million in gross sales.
“We at the HSMA would like to send our deepest appreciation to all member hotels for all their participation,” says Martinez. “ The variety of packages on offer are compelling and creative and will definitely attract more buyers who are eager to rediscover the joys of travel after being confined in their bubble in the last 24 months.“
Post-SOS, HSMA members can look forward to another major event: the annual Virtus Awards. Hosted by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines, the Virtus Awards is a competition “designed to shift paradigms in hospitality excellence.” For the past seven years, it has offered a unique platform for hotel sales and marketing professionals in the country to tell their stories of success that resonate well beyond the hotel and resort industry. Since 2020, a special award—the Champions of Resilience Award for Covid-19 Response—has been given out to recognize the contributions of individuals and institutional team/s to protocols addressing the challenges of the pandemic.
Read related story:
HSMA’s September Online Sale (SOS) will run from September 1- 30, 2022. All purchased vouchers have no expiration date. Packages may be availed of through secured online payment platforms including Maya.
The September Online Sale is made possible by HSMA’s event partners: The Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board, Atlantis, and Media Meter. The event is also powered by resources from exclusive sponsors Maya and Megaworld International.
To stay updated on all things SOS, follow HSMA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HSMAPH and Instagram account at @HSMAPhilippines.