Robinsons Land Corp.’s (RLC) budget hotel arm Go Hotels has started selling hotel rooms in Japan’s newly opened Karaksa Hotels via its online distribution platform, allowing it to serve the growing number of Filipino tourists in Japan.
The distribution line is part of a partnership signed with Japanese firm Xymax Corp., which aims to open 1,500 hotel rooms in Japan in the next three years.
In a press statement on Monday, RLC said the first two Karaksa Hotels had already opened—one in Osaka Shinsaibashi and the other in Kyoto.
Xymax overseas business department head and corporate planning department general manager Ryuhei Mori said the number of Philippine visitors to Japan had jumped by 45 percent to about 250,000 last year. The number is also up 30 percent this year, so far.
“We think the growth is because of the improving Philippine economy, the strong interest of Filipinos in Japanese food and culture, the availability of low fares, and because it is now easier for Filipinos to get a tourist visa for Japan,” said Mori.
Because of this, Xymax has decided to put up Karaksa Hotels in destinations favored by Filipinos and other Southeast Asian tourists. It has likewise used Go Hotels as its inspiration for its rooms and services.
Xymax has tapped Go Hotels as its exclusive sales and marketing partner in the Philippines through its website www.gohotels.ph. Since all online bookings in the Philippines are processed by Go Hotels’ online service, this partnership allows RLC to diversify its earnings stream from the hospitality segment without additional cost.
“Karaksa Hotels, is similar to the Go Hotels brand of the Philippines with added innovations in room amenities and facilities to adapt to Japanese standards,” said Mori.
Mori noted since many Filipinos find Japanese hotel rooms too small, Karaksa was designed to have bigger rooms of 16 to 18 square meters, some of which even have king-sized beds.
Karen Barretto of Xymax’s overseas business department also noted the staff of the Japanese hotel group was trained to serve Filipinos and other Southeast Asians. Even the breakfast menu has been tweaked to take into consideration the taste and preferences of Filipinos. Doris Dumlao-Abadilla