Resorts World Manila (RWM) is looking to open a new gaming zone by the end of 2017 in a bid to win back customers following the deadly 2 June attack that saw 38 people lose their lives.
In an interview with Bloomberg this week, the CEO of RWM operator Travellers International Hotel Group, Kingson Sian, revealed that the property had lost US$1.2 million per day in revenue during the suspension of its gaming license last month, with visitor numbers falling by up to 20,000 per day and hotel occupancy plunging from 90% to just 40%.
“We obviously have to gain back the trust of our guests and the public,” Sian said, adding that, “We’re spending a lot of time enhancing the overall security of the place and learning about what had happened.”
Most notably, Bloomberg reported that RWM “aims to open by year end a casino floor larger than the one destroyed on June 2, six months earlier than scheduled, while the damaged area will be converted into a retail zone.”
Sian said the company would look to avoid laying off staff while the new gaming area is completed, while Travellers is trying to win back customers with cheap movie tickets, discounts and free parking.
“It’s one of the sad events in our history but, nevertheless, we believe in the long-term potential of the industry,” Sian said. “We believe in the future of both tourism and gaming. We have a long view and we are committed to this.”
