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THUNDERBIRD Resorts Inc. (TRI) is set to start its
venture at the new special economic and freeport zone in the former
United States military air station in La Union involving the
area’s conversion into a premier tourist destination.
Fernando Santico, chief
consultant of the real estate development, said.
TRI is investing about P1 billion
for the development of the initial phase of the 65-hectare land at
the Poro Point.
“The total investment we’ve
projected after full development is actually about P5 billion,”
Santico said.
The firm is known as an international
property developer of dynamic, themed, and integrated luxury hotel
venues. The Thunderbird Resorts—Poro Point will incorporate
architectural themes influenced by the Santorini Islands of
Greece. The company plans to build from 200 to 300 hotel rooms.
The Philippines is the
company’s first market in Asia, and serves as its platform for
regional expansion. Santico said that the company is confident that
its facilities at Poro Point will put La Union on the world map of
major tourist and recreation destinations worldwide.
So far, the resort giant has
created more than 400 jobs in Poro Point, bringing its total
workforce in the country to over a thousand people.
“The resort expects company
employment numbers to grow to 2,000 in the next two years, with an
additional 200 to 250 employees manning Thunderbird Resorts’
hotel and golf operations at Poro Point by the end of the year,”
Santico said.
A golf course, which is being
managed by the International Management Group, aims to attract
domestic visitors and those coming from neighboring countries like
Korea and Taiwan.
--Katrina Mennen A. Valdez
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