What is right in Sabang and what is wrong in White Beach

This has always been asked whenever people compare the low season of Sabang and White Beach. Apparently the low season of White Beach is longer than Sabang and more severe in terms of occupancy rate.

Sabang’s off season is shorter, from 3 to 4 months whereas White Beach would take up to 6 to 7 months.

During the off season in Sabang, there are times when Chinese and Korean tourists come in droves, eager to take advantage of the lowest costing packages. There are times when there is actually no off season in resorts that cater to these nationalities. However, those that cater mainly to Europeans and white-skinned tourists are not as lucky.

Generally, Sabang is more resilient to the low season than White Beach.

But why is that? Can it be explained simply because White Beach primarily serves Filipino tourist while Sabang caters to foreign tourist. Or are there reasons that make it right for Sabang and wrong for White Beach. Can lessons be learned or is it the way it had been and will always be.

Mr. J is one of the most sought after managers in Sabang yet he had kept a low profile. He had been quietly getting things done and successfully opening one business after another in an almost surreptitious manner.

Mr. J shares his insights on why the Sabang businesses that are under him thrive even during the off season when most establishments especially in White Beach are practically moribund.

Mr. J said that aside from diving, Sabang provides a variety of entertainment and a colorful nightlife, numerous restaurants offering specialty cuisines as well as all types of bars offering plentiful reasons to get tipsy and have lots of fun.

Mr. J said that most businesses in Sabang always try to learn new things.

“When something new appears in the market, we take a crack at it and apply it in Sabang and if it works, fine, if not go to the next new thing.”

The quality of Sabang resorts is undoubtedly far superior to most White Beach resorts. The space is bigger, the beds are upscale and the room amenities are all superb and high-class.

Yet the prices of the rooms are very competitive. Mr. J said that their room rates are even lower than what is offered in White Beach.

“What we do is we offer a package with diving, food and fun activities. The rooms we give them very cheap but we still earn money because of the other items in the package.”

Mr. J also said that the Sabang business owners are more attuned to what tourism needs.

“We are more united, we generally do not engage in cutthroat or in bad mouthing the competition.”

“When something bad happens in a resort, we take care of it and prevent that bad event from coming out in the open.”

“We are also very serious with safety, security and the privacy of our guests.”

Mr. J said, “Look at this bar, we buy the most modern equipment and try to be at par with the best in the country. Why? Because we want our guests to be awed and feel special and that makes them come back over and over again.”

Lastly, Mr. J said, that they use lot of their resources for marketing and advertising campaigns.

“We do not have that mentality that some Filipino business owners have – that the tourists will come no matter what. There are so many destinations out there and we want our resorts to be the first one they see, and when they see us that they will actually book a room and stay with us. That is the reason why we really do not have an off season but we do have a normal season. Tell that to White Beach.”