Sta. Lucia Land bets on tourism

PROPERTY DEVELOPER Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. will continue to focus on tourism-related developments, riding on the country’s growing tourism industry.

“We will do more to support this buoyant sector as we continue to embark on tourism- related assets,” Sta. Lucia Executive Vice- President and Chief Financial Officer David M. Dela Cruz said in a statement issued on Monday.

The company, along with its parent Sta. Lucia Realty & Development, Inc., has expanded its tourism portfolio by building more than 12 golf courses, country clubs and multiple hotel developments nationwide.

Sta. Lucia has undertaken hotel projects in Quezon City, Tagaytay, Cainta, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao, as the company focuses on expanding its footprint in key cities nationwide.

The tourism industry’s growth was driven by demand from foreigners as well as locals, according to the company.

In 2015, the country generated P227.62 billion in earnings from 5.36 million visitors. This is 5.9% higher than the P214.88 billion recorded for 2014, Sta. Lucia said, citing data from the Department of Tourism.

In an earlier statement dated June 24, the company unveiled its intention to “take advantage” of the “massive opportunity” outside Metro Manila for residential, commercial and vertical tower development portfolio.

Sta. Lucia has 84 projects spanning 1,924.6 hectares in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal; eight ( 788.7 hectares) in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Dagupan, Cabanatuan and Zambales; eight ( 428.2 hectares) in Cebu; six ( 315 hectares) in Iloilo and Bacolod; eight ( 299.2 hectares) in Davao, one ( 200 hectares) in Baguio; one ( 7.3 hectares) on Pangasinan; and two (6.1 hectares) in Palawan. —