Resort business plan template for the Philippines

Executive summary

[Resort name] will be a [type: beach / inland pool / mountain] resort on [area] square metres in Barangay [name], [municipality], [province]. Facilities: [number] rooms, [number] day-use cottages, a swimming pool, [restaurant or kitchen], parking for [number] vehicles. Guests: [day trippers from (nearby city), families on weekend stays, company outings]. Owner: [name or corporation].

Project cost: ₱____ (land or lease ₱____, construction ₱____, pool ₱____, furniture and linens ₱____, water system ₱____, permits and accreditation ₱____, pre-opening marketing ₱____, reserve ₱____). Funding: equity ₱____, bank loan ₱____ at [terms]. Target opening: [month and year].

Site, facilities and guest experience

Describe how guests get there (travel time from [city], road condition, public transport), what they see on arrival, and what they do all day. Show a site plan in the appendix with rooms, cottages, pool, kitchen, toilets and showers, staff quarters, and septic and drainage.

Rooms and rates. [Room type 1] ([number] units, sleeps [number]), [room type 2], cottages for day use. Rates per night and per day: ₱____. Entrance fee for day guests: ₱____. Weekday and weekend rates if different.

Water and waste. Source of water [well, municipal supply], storage capacity, pool filtration, and septic tank size. These drive both your sanitary permit and your guests' reviews.

Market and competing resorts

Fill this from bookings, calls and visits, not from tourism statistics you cannot verify:

Example fill-in. "There are [number] resorts within [distance]. We visited [resort 1] (day entrance ₱____, rooms ₱____ per night, full on [weekends / holidays]) and [resort 2]. Inquiry calls on [dates] showed they were fully booked for [dates]. Our pre-opening page collected [number] inquiries. We will compete on [larger pool / private villas / function hall for company events / closer to (city)]."

• Where do your guests come from, and how long is the drive?
• Which resorts within an hour compete for the same guests?
• What do they charge for day use, overnight rooms and exclusive use?
• Which weekends and months are full, and which are empty?
• What do guests praise and complain about in their reviews?

Operations and staff

Staff. Front desk [number], housekeeping [number], pool attendant or lifeguard [number], maintenance [number], kitchen [number]. Shifts for weekends and peak season.

Daily routines. Room turnover checklist; pool cleaned and water tested at [times]; toilets checked every [hours]; generator tested weekly; guest incident log.

Bookings. Phone, social media page and [online travel agents]. Deposit policy, cancellation policy and maximum guests per cottage written and shown to guests.

Accreditation, permits and fees

The general registrations are in the registration guide. DTI charges ₱200 to ₱2,000 for a business name depending on scope, plus ₱30 documentary stamp tax. BIR stopped collecting the ₱500 Annual Registration Fee from 22 January 2024. A resort run by a corporation registers with SEC instead of DTI.^[1,2]

The Tourism Act (RA 9593) lists accommodation establishments among primary tourism enterprises and says these must periodically obtain DOT accreditation. DILG has reminded LGUs that DOT accreditation must come before they issue a permit to operate to such enterprises. You can apply through DOT's Online Accreditation System. The Inquirer reported in February 2023 that DOT extended free accreditation for tourism businesses. Confirm the current fee with DOT.^[3,4,5]

Under the Sanitation Code, lodging establishments need a sanitary permit before opening to the public, and public swimming and bathing places need one too. Plan for both if you have rooms and a pool.^[6]

Financial plan

Published fees filled in: DTI ₱500 plus ₱30, BIR ₱0. DOT, sanitary and local fees are marked to confirm.^[1,2]

Revenue. Rooms [number] × occupancy ____% × rate ₱____ × 30 days + day guests [number] × entrance ₱____ + food and drinks ₱____ + events ₱____ = ₱____ per month. Use separate occupancy for peak months ([months]) and lean months.

Payback. Total project cost ₱____ ÷ yearly net cash flow ₱____ = [number] years. Show the bank how loan payments are covered in the lean months.

• Land or lease ₱____
• Construction and pool ₱____
• Furniture, linens, kitchen equipment ₱____
• Water system, generator, septic ₱____
• DTI ₱500 + ₱30 (or SEC if a corporation); BIR ₱0
• DOT accreditation ₱____ (confirm current fee with DOT)
• Sanitary permits for lodging and pool, barangay clearance, mayor's permit ₱____ (assessed locally)
• Monthly: staff ₱____, electricity ₱____, water and pool chemicals ₱____, laundry ₱____, maintenance ₱____, marketing ₱____, loan ₱____

Risks and responses

Resorts have high fixed costs and seasonal sales. Show how you will survive the slow months.

• Typhoon damage and closures. Property insurance, a repair fund, and a booking policy for weather cancellations.
• Drowning or injury at the pool. Trained lifeguard during pool hours, depth markers, rules posted, first aid kit.
• Empty weekdays. Company outings, school trips and weekday packages.
• Opening without DOT accreditation. Apply early, because the permit to operate should follow it.

Resort accreditation, permits and fees

Questions people ask

Does a resort need DOT accreditation?

Yes. The Tourism Act makes DOT accreditation mandatory for primary tourism enterprises, which include accommodation establishments, and LGUs should issue the permit to operate only after it.

How much is DOT accreditation?

DOT extended free accreditation for tourism businesses in 2023, as reported by the Inquirer. Confirm the current fee with DOT when you apply.

Does a resort pool need its own sanitary permit?

The Sanitation Code says public swimming and bathing places need a sanitary permit, separate from the rules for lodging.