If anyone was to ask me about how Davao City’s tourism grew through the years, I would say that a big part of Durianburg’s tourism development was thanks to the opening of the Insular Hotel Davao in 1961. Who can forget riding on the hotel’s iconic kalesa topiary, or spending afternoons with your family strolling by the hotel’s beach?
For six decades, the hotel has become a hub for major events in the metro and generations of guests who stayed have come to consider Insular Hotel as one of Davao’s best-known landmark as it offered a pocket of tranquillity in a rapidly growing city while highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Dabawenyos.
Fast forward to today. In the midst of a global health crisis and a time where businesses are faced with the tempting option to close down, the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao is one of the few hotels in Durianburg which remain open, not only for the sole purpose of providing unparalleled service to its guests, but to also bring job security and financial stability for its employees.
A landmark event for a landmark year
2021 is a landmark year for Davao’s Grand Dame by the Sea, with the Insular Hotel celebrating its 60th founding year. Going beyond providing safe accommodation to both non-quarantine and quarantine guests through its Multi-use Accreditation status, the Waterfront Davao became more than just a beachfront gateway as it partnered with the City Government of Davao, Davao Tourism Association (DATA), private sector volunteers and other organizations to successfully transform the hotel’s Garden Pavilion as a site for the ‘Bakuna by the Sea’, a special vaccination roll-out which aims to inoculate 7,000 people under the tourism sector.
“I am very very happey that Waterfront Davao on its 60th anniversary, they volunteered to sponsor the logistics for this activity. This is really private sector led,” City Tourism Operations Office head Generose Tecson said.
“This vaccination program goes to show that in Davao City, we have a beautiful working relationship between the private sector and the city government,” Tecson added.
Also in attendance on the launch and first day of vaccination were Jennifer Romero, OIC For Hotel Operations of Waterfront Insular Hotel, Tanya Rabat-Tan, Department of Tourism XI Regional Director, Dr. Ashley Lopez, OIC-City Health Office, Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, City Health Office Vaccination Cluster Head, Cherry Faye Al-ag, DATA President-elect, Elenor Marcelino, Vaccination Site Team Leader, Anna Q. Magnaye and Candice R. Protacio from ZEGEN Management Co.
Kenneth T. Gatchalian, President of Waterfront Philippines Incorporated expressed his words of support and gratitude towards the Local Government Unit and its partners for enacting this initiative and allowing Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao to give back to the community.
“We believe that the vaccination effort constitutes a critical point to economic recovery and by supporting this endeavour, we ensure that all shall rise from this pandemic,” he said.
The vaccination program aims to pave the way for new developments in the easement of restrictions and guidelines which would help the tourism industry and other communities rebound. And while there is still a long way to go, I am glad that there are vaccination efforts like this happening all over Davao City, showing the harmonious working relationship between private individuals and the government, all towards one common goal.
My heart also goes out to the untiring volunteer nurses, doctors and personnel who manned the site’s stations and made the event safe and orderly.
Congratulations and happy 60th anniversary to the Waterfront Insular Davao Hotel, and thank you for a unique and inspiring birthday bash, allowing everyone in the tourism industry a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.
For queries on how to avail of the vaccination, the tourism sector workers are advised to email the secretariat at davaotourismvax@gmail.com.
