The Bloomberry Resorts Corporation is one of the biggest tourism companies in Asia with hotels, casinos, and integrated tourism resorts across Korea and the Philippines. One of its most famous offerings is the Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila, which covers a whopping 18,500 square metres. It features 1,653 slot machines, 295 gaming tables, 88 electronic gaming tables, and 488 hotel rooms. Now, the company plans to boost tourism to this sprawling casino further by building an exclusive cruise port for the hotel. This move could lead to other gambling cities located near ports following suit.
Plans for the $5.9 million Cruise Port
It has recently emerged that Sureste Properties Inc, a subsidiary of Bloomberry, has submitted an application with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to construct a port at Entertainment City in Manila. The proposal will cost an astonishing $5.9 million, and it will take ten years to be fully operational. It looks as though plans will go ahead smoothly, according to a statement from TIEZA. The official body said that “President Duterte expressed no objection to the proposal subject to the compliance of all government required permits”.
The proposal for this epic enhancement to the already buzzing resort sounds exciting. It will include an expanded harbour which offers dining, shopping, and entertainment to visitors. There will also be new esplanades and plazas. If everything goes to plan, it will be a lavish offering for cruisers who are used to traveling around in luxury.
Offering a Streamlined Experience Could be Game Changing
The aim of this port expansion is to bring more cruise tourists to the Manila casino, but many cruise liners already have their own casinos. Some may be wondering whether the new idea can offer something different which will appeal to cruise customers. For this reason, the resort may seek to offer an experience which works in conjunction with the casinos on the ships.
A streamlined way of playing on both the ship and in the casino could be the way forward. It would mean that players will be able to use the same credits in the cruise ship’s casino and the port’s. They may also decide to provide bonuses to players who have spent a certain amount in the ship’s casino, or some kind of loyalty system. A scheme like this would most certainly take inspiration from the online casino industry, where sites enjoy synergy between various platforms. When online casinos first started, they were only on desktop. But, in recent years, the mobile gaming industry has overtaken other forms. Because of this, sites like Betway Casino now offer their games on desktop and mobile, meaning players can log on with the same details, and use the same account from whichever platform they choose to play on.
Even TV companies are doing the same thing. Netflix, for instance, allows users to log on from any device and continue where they left off before. Using technology to record player’s details and credits on cruise ships could allow for synergy with the hotel casino when players step off the ship. This would be a revolutionary step for both the casino and cruise ship industries.
Will Places Like Macao Follow Suit?
Las Vegas is in the middle of the Nevada desert, so it wouldn’t be able to join the revolution – if there is one. There are, however, a number of other world-famous gambling destinations with port access which may decide to follow in the footsteps of Manila. The Chinese gambling destination Macao and the USA’s Atlantic City both have ports which could open up access to cruise ships.
Macao is the number one gambling hub in the world, with revenues of $3.18 billion recorded in 2018 according to Reuters. The Chinese gambling hub is constantly aiming to attract more players as it solidifies itself at the top. Atlantic City is the fourth-biggest gambling destination on earth and is seeking ways to topple Vegas off its perch at the summit in the USA. In 2014, the mayor of the New Jersey city expressed his interest in making it a port for cruise ships. If they did this in collaboration with the casinos, it could lead to a major increase in tourism.
Entertainment City in Manila is striving to be one of the number one players in world gambling, and moves like this will undoubtedly serve to enhance its reputation. If this move is a success, it could lead to more gambling hubs looking at ways to attract a greater number of cruise ships.
