There is no question that these intermittent and periodic lockdowns are taking a heavy toll on the local tourism industry. It has been a difficult and unimaginable year and a half for many. We witnessed many businesses shutting down. Some of the bigger restaurants and hotel chains had to close down or suspend operations. Because of the size of their operations, it will probably take some time for them to get back on track and revive the once-bustling local tourism economy of the pre-pandemic times.
Despite these bleak circumstances, I’d like to think hope still springs eternal. Life simply must go on, and as a passionate advocate of local tourism, I see an opportunity for the Filipino Bed and Breakfast to become not just a well-suited engine of rural economic growth, but a quick vehicle for recovery.
Consider its advantages. Bed and Breakfasts are typically small in size so it is easily deployable, quick to activate and require little capital. Most of those who attended my master classes at Sonya’s Garden are small property owners who want their rural gems to generate additional income to supplement their maintenance expenses. This would be the most opportune time to establish or expand a country B&B operation.
It is also scalable. Operations can be small to medium, depending on local tourist demand. As travel restrictions begin to relax, the interest in rural staycation properties has started to grow. People want to get away from the city once again. After a year of being cooped up, many crave outdoor experiences, one that will allow a rediscovering of, and an intimate communing with nature. Breathing in clean country air, away from the crowds, is, in demand.
It can easily be COVID-19 proofed. By design, Filipino Bed and Breakfasts rely on a fresh country setting. Al fresco dining in wide open spaces is a quaint part of its feature. Being as close as possible to nature is an effective way of avoiding any pandemic. Clean air, the morning sun, and organic cuisine are the best ingredients for building up the immune system.
Last year, at the height of the pandemic, we turned our focus towards health and wellness as an integral part of survival. Because the B&B is basically a home industry so operating it involves a lot of flexibility on the part of its management, we were able to scale down operations to the basic maintenance and food production activities.
Despite all the disruptions, Sonya’s Garden did not retrench any of its employees. As a result, our staff was able to feed their families when the food supply chains were disrupted. We had the capacity to engage in outreach activities in adjacent communities by distributing agricultural produce from our organic farms. If anything, these trying times have proven the resiliency of the Pinoy B&B.
More than a year after the Taal eruption and the pandemic lockdowns, our B&B has bounced back to almost normal operations despite the general community quarantine status and capacity restrictions. It now continues to gainfully employ almost all of the staff that it had to let go because of the long lockdown.
Imagine if all the businesses that have closed down could do the same thing. Our economy would be in a better shape sooner than the economists have predicted. The Pinoy B&B could truly be an engine for an inclusive economic recovery.