TOURISM BOOST. The façade of Resorts Negrense, a beachside attraction in Bacolod City. The resort-hotel reopened this week with 45 new rooms to help revive domestic tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)
BACOLOD CITY – A popular resort-hotel here has reopened after more than a year in a bid to boost domestic tourism amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
As of Thursday, Resorts Negrense, located in the coastal village of Punta Taytay in the southern part of the city, has resumed accepting dining reservations and room bookings, a day after its grand reopening led by owner Enrique Rojas.
“If we don’t open again, nothing will happen,” said Rojas, a sugarcane planter and one of the leaders of the sugar industry.
He said the resort now employs at least 80 workers and more will be hired once other amenities will be opened to the public.
Rojas added that they want to help kick start the local economy that suffered a major slump due to the global health crisis.
With its reopening, Resorts Negrense launched a 45-room hotel, offering a viewing deck ideal for rooftop events with the scenic sunset over the Guimaras Strait as a backdrop.
This time, the resort-hotel also partnered with trusted caterer Casa Noble, which serves unique Negrense cuisine, for the hotel’s food and beverage needs during major events.
Negros Occidental Tourism Officer Jennylind Cordero, who was one of the guests during the reopening rites, said the resort-hotel’s more than 40 rooms can accommodate at least 30,000 guests annually.
“The development is a big package for a large number of guests, and it’s something Negrenses should be proud of. It’s really a tourism boost. We are thankful for this project as it also creates additional employment,” she added.
Cordero said the tourism industry is still facing many challenges especially with the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but she urged other resort-hotels to come up with new programs compliant with health and safety protocols.
Until the end of September, Bacolod is still under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions (GCQ-HR).
Among the features of Resorts Negrense’s 14-hectare development are a wide swimming pool and kiddie pool with slides, cottages of various designs and sizes, a beach volleyball court, barbecue pits as well as function rooms located at the Comedor pavilion restaurant.
The resort also has a convention hall which can accommodate up to 1,000 persons, and a landscaped garden ideal for weddings, receptions, and sunset parties.
It also has a five-hectare lagoon for kayaking, walking and biking trail along the lagoon, a zip line, an aviary, and a videoke room. (PNA)
