NEW HOTEL. The reception area of Citadines Bacolod City. Considered the largest hotel in the city, with a total of 200 rooms, it is seen to boost the bid of Bacolod to become a choice destination for national and international MICE or meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. (PNA-Bacolod photo)
BACOLOD CITY – This city’s bid as a choice venue for national and international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) got a boost with the opening of Citadines Bacolod City on Friday night.
Considered the largest hotel here, the 200-room international hotel destination along Lacson Street in Barangay Bata would fill the need for additional rooms, especially during the city’s major annual event, the MassKara Festival, according to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
Benitez, along with Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 (Western Visayas) Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez, graced the formal opening of the hotel developed by Cebu Landmasters, Inc. and managed by The Ascott Ltd.
“Citadines Bacolod is now the largest hotel in the city. With 200 rooms, by far it has outnumbered all the other hotels. We used to run out of hotel rooms during MassKara Festival, now we have a new hotel,” he said.
Lacson said Citadines’ presence would enhance Negros Occidental’s hospitality industry by providing top-tier accommodation options that meet international standards.
“It will also increase local employment and boost the province’s growing tourism industry,” he added.
Rodriguez said with the newest addition to hotels in Bacolod, the DOT hopes to increase tourist arrivals in the city and the province this 2024 and the years to come “as we push Bacolod City as one of the preferred MICE destinations in the country.”
Rodriguez also awarded the certificate of accreditation granted by the DOT to Citadines Bacolod City to cluster general manager Cecille Teodoro during the ceremony.
“We are looking forward to having this property star accredited and hopeful to be given five stars,” Teodoro said.
About 80 percent of the hotel staff are from Bacolod and Negros Occidental and are being trained according to The Ascott standards.
“We have entrusted to them the service of our new property. It’s going to be a combination of The Ascott standards, Ascott cares and the Negrense hospitality,” Teodoro said. (PNA)
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