If your idea of relaxation is golf, beach, great food, five-star accommodations, and casino thrills come nighttime—or any time of the day, for that matter—Thunderbird Resorts has got the goods for you.

Thunderbird Resorts, Inc., an international property developer of dynamic, themed and integrated venues anchored by casinos, has been enjoying operations in the country for the past five years. The Philippines is its first market in Asia and serves as its platform for development in Southeast Asia.

The other countries it operates in are Panama, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Poland and India. Its subsidiaries and affiliated companies currently have 5,700 employees and manage approximately $170 million in entertainment and hospitality revenues.

Thunderbird Resorts in Poro Point, La Union opened in 2006, the property developer’s second hotel and gaming facility in the country. The first is in Binangonan, Rizal, which opened in 2005. The Mediterranean-inspired property in the peninsula of Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union is the only five-star hotel in the North. Nestled on a scenic cliff overlooking the sandy beaches of the South China Sea, it is located in the former Wallace airbase. It comes with a full set of world-class services and amenities, namely Vegas Café, Cabana Bar, Olives Restaurant, Santorini Lounge & Bar, The Pool Bar, The Cliffs Golf & Beach Club, and Fiesta Casino.

Fiesta Casino is said to offer the best gaming experience, with the latest slot machines and table games, and exciting raffle promotions and special events. Other resort amenities are in-house massage service, infinity pool and children’s pool, volleyball and basketball courts, boardwalk and outdoor events center, and complimentary Wi-Fi and Internet hook-up.

CSR Initiatives

Thunderbird Resorts is not all business without a social conscience. It has “TREES”, an ongoing nature preservation and social responsibility program that aims to cultivate a green culture in its employees. It is an acronym for Thunderbird Resorts Efforts on Environment Sustainability.

Among its activities have been the simultaneous tree planting activities held in Rizal and Poro Point In support of the International Day for Climate Change. Medical missions are also regularly conducted to help the resorts’ surrounding communities. Thunderbird Resorts was also one of the first companies to organize relief efforts in Rizal and La Union when these areas were badly hit by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Expansion Plans

Only 45 hectares of the 65-hectare property in Poro Point have been developed, and the company is in the process of adding nine more holes to The Cliffs Golf & Beach Club, which currently offers a par 36 nine-hole golf course. The hotel is also set to expand by 46 more rooms from its current 32, and four luxury suites that overlook the sea and golf course. The company will also launch The Point  Residences, an exclusive residential zone, featuring prime cottages and villas.

“Our amenities at Thunderbird Resorts have been attracting foreign and local tourists, and balikbayans,” says Senior Property Director Shaun Thomsen. “The resort has been popular for the casino entertainment, for family outings, and for wedding receptions and other special events; many companies also conduct conferences and team-building seminars here, so we are in the process of building more meeting rooms, which will be ready by September,” he explains.

Speaking of the Philippines as a whole, Country Manager Fabio Moretti says, “I think we’ll have a lot of growth in the Philippines—of all the countries we are in in the world, it’s going to be our highest growth market, so we plan on making significant additional investments here.”

The company is exploring new areas to duplicate the success of the two properties, thus providing more jobs and opportunities for Filipinos in the process. At present, around 1,240 personnel are employed for both properties.