Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., the gaming and leisure company controlled by tycoon Andrew Tan, announced it will begin construction of two major gaming facilities in Mactan, Cebu and Boracay Island, Aklan by next year, with a combined investment of $700 million.
Travellers president and CEO Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez confirmed the developments during a recent briefing, citing ongoing planning and site preparations for the $400 million Mactan World Resorts in Mactan Newtown and the $300 million Boracay World Resorts in Boracay Newcoast. Both projects are designed to complement township developments by Megaworld Corp., a sister company under Tan’s Alliance Global Group.
The move marks a strategic expansion of Travellers’ casino and tourism footprint outside Metro Manila, where it is also finalizing the $1.1 billion Westside City integrated resort at the Parañaque Entertainment City. Rodriguez said that while Westside remains the top priority, planning for the provincial gaming centers is proceeding in parallel, with groundbreaking expected in 2026.
“These will not be massive integrated resorts like Newport or Westside,” Rodriguez explained. “We are right-sizing the market by building boutique gaming centers that cater to the tourism estates we already operate.”
Boracay World Resorts will focus on domestic clientele within Megaworld’s beach and golf resort community, while Mactan World Resorts will serve a broader Asian market. Rodriguez noted that softer international tourist arrivals—particularly from China and South Korea—have prompted a reassessment of project timelines and scale, though long-term growth potential remains intact.
The expansion underscores Travellers’ broader commercial strategy of leveraging its integrated resort experience to strengthen Megaworld’s township-based tourism offerings.
