PASAY CITY – The Resorts World Manila (RWM) here, the first integrated tourism complex in the country, is targeting the Central Luzon market to increase its daily average of 20,000 visitors.
Ana Chua, RWM sales manager, said that they started to offer daily bus rides exclusively for RWM clients from Pampanga in November 2011, and launched the same rides in Bulacan on July 7 when they invited Pampanga-based journalists to the RWM at the Newport City.
Chua said they partnered with Bessie Rustia, owner of the Creative Travel and Tours based in the City of San Fernando and Balanga City, to afford people in Central Luzon “to hop on to world-class leisure and entertainment.”
“We launched the pilot project in Pampanga. It’s probably the first of a kind in the country offering people comfortable ride to a resort-complex and back to their place of origin.
It was successful due to the big support of Bessie,” said Chua. She announced that rides using Genesis Bus Lines will be available this year in Bataan and Tarlac through the same partnership with Rustia.
Region III has a population of 9,720,982 people, according to the 2007 census of the National Statistics Coordinating Board, with Bulacan having the highest number at 2,826,926, followed by Pampanga with 1,911951.
For her part, Rustia said the patronage of Pampanga residents to the one-day trip to RWM “is more promising nowadays.” She added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had recently sponsored an official trip for Pampanga social workers, filling up six Genesis buses.
Under RWM’s “Play Tour Pampanga” pick up points are set at McDonald’s branches in Dau, Mabalacat and Olongapo Gapan Road, City of San Fernando. The Genesis bus leaves Dau at 8 a.m. and then picks up passengers in San Fernando en route to RWM.
RWM and Rustia charge clients at least P500 as round-trip fare per person, inclusive of one meal voucher amounting to P200 to be used at RWM participating outlets and P300-worth match-and-play voucher at the RWM casino.
Andrew Tan of the Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI) co-owns the RWM and they have 49 percent stake at McDonald’s Philippines. His partner at the RWM is the Genting Hong Kong group.
Lulu Tamayo, RWM assistant sales manager, disclosed that bus rides for their clients arriving at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga had started last week.
“We want to increase tourism activity,” said Tamayo when asked about their newly-started Clark route connecting passengers to RWM.
At least 600,000 passengers used the CIA from January to June of this year, a 54 present increase compared to the same period last year.
Tamayo disclosed that they had also started bus rides from Batangas City to RWM this year and soon would open in Nueva Ecija, another Central Luzon province.
The RWM has combined lodging brands, restaurants, gaming facilities, entertainment spots and luxury mall in one complex.
It is home to the five-star Marriott Hotel Manila, budget lodging Remington Hotel and Maxims Tower, a luxury all-suite casino and hotel.
The RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theatre is a 1,500-seat venue for local and international artists and productions. It is set to stage the musical “The King and I” starting September 15.
The RWM is the home of Republiq Club, a popular hangout in Metro Manila frequented by celebrities, prominent businessmen and tourists.
