HOSPITALITY WATCH PH

MANILA, Philippines — Hotel101 Global is entering its most ambitious year to date, with a record 2,229 new hotel rooms scheduled to become operational in 2026 across the Philippines, Spain, and Japan. The expansion marks the largest number of room openings in a single year for the Filipino hotel brand and reflects growing confidence in both domestic and international tourism markets. The 2026 pipeline includes 519 rooms in Davao, 548 rooms in Cebu, 680 rooms in Madrid, Spain,

Ube, the purple yam native to the Philippines, is no longer just a nostalgic ingredient in Filipino desserts. In 2026 it has become a global star across cafés, bakeries and social‑media feeds. Longtime matcha drinkers are now sampling ube lattes, while big brands experiment with everything from ube cocktails to ube‑cheese pies. Some trend watchers call it the “new matcha” , but is that comparison fair? This feature explores how ube rose to prominence, its parallels with m

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) has maintained its baseline target of 6.7 million international visitors for 2026. This goal was set under former Secretary Christina Garcia‑Frasco and remains in place under the current administration. By the end of 2025, arrivals totaled only 6.48 million, highlighting the challenge of reaching—or surpassing—the ambitious figure. A New Secretary, the Same Target In April 2026, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Dita Angara‑