Details are starting to emerge about The Emerald Mactan resort that is expected to open next year. Located on Mactan Island, the development is going to boost the region’s already soaring tourism sector while also providing competition for Entertainment City in Manila, the country’s current gaming hub.
The project, which is being developed by PH Resorts Group Holdings, will allow Cebu to better compete in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) space. It currently lags behind Thailand’s Phuket and Bali in Indonesia when it comes to MICE facilities.
The Emerald Mactan will have a total of 1300 rooms, but only 400 will be completed during the first phase of construction. The initial phase will also see 100 tables and 600 electronic machines launched in addition to a full range of resort amenities.
American designer and architect Paul Steelman designed The Emerald Mactan. His previous work includes the Galaxy Macau and Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila. The project will sit on 12-hectares of beachfront land in Mactan with other phases expected to be finished in the years following the 2020 launch.
Mactan now a destination
While the casino will help the Cebu region as a whole, Mactan in particular looks set to benefit. Tourism has been one of the key drivers of Cebu’s growth in recent years, but now more people are opting not leave Mactan Island.
The opening of Terminal 2 at Mactan-Cebu International Airport has brought even more visitors to the region. There are direct flights from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and China to Cebu, however many arrivals don’t see the need to leave Mactan. Local developer Grand Land has witnessed the trend firsthand.
“Mactan is a great weekend spot. It’s a short flight from many cities in Japan and South Korea as well as Hong Kong. The airport is right there and the beaches are 20-minutes away. And Cebu is easily accessible too,” Ryan Bernard Go, Grand Land President, told Dot Property.
The developer’s Amani Grand Mactan project has been an extremely popular choice among international investors thanks to its location and value for money. Buyers are able to benefit from Cebu’s impressive tourism growth and demand for units on Mactan Island while also being able to take advantage of the company’s outstanding property management.
