NUSTAR Shines This Holiday Season With Spirit Of Giving

 For many Filipinos, the essence of Christmas lies in the spirit of generosity — a value that helped NUSTAR Resort & Casino ignite its vision of providing luxury and hospitality by giving back to the community of Cebu this holiday season.

To welcome the yuletide in its “magical and mystical” form, the five-star integrated resort in the Queen City of the South illuminated its 35-foot recycled Christmas tree last Oct. 25.

Conceptualized for six months, the intricate decoration displayed at NUSTAR’s The Atrium near its 21,000-square meter gaming hall was adorned with flapping butterflies and gems that were all locally sourced.

“The interpretations of magical and mystical are different. I'm happy to hear that a lot of people actually appreciated it,” Katrina Mae de Jesus, assistant vice president for business development and brand marketing, told the reporters in an interview in Cebu in time for the lighting of the Christmas tree.

One of the highlights of the lighting ceremony was the turnover of donations to NUSTAR’s Universal Cultural Foundation Inc. (UCFI), for scholarships to be awarded to the members of Sistema Pilipino, a non-profit organization honing the Filipino youth by providing world-class music education.

Beyond the glitz and glamour of the giant tree were the stars symbolizing joy, love, hope, peace and NUSTAR itself, installed by individuals who have made mark in their respective fields namely VIDA Dance School director Monica Villarica Cusi, plant-based chef and fitness instructor Chip Lopez, Glory Reborn founder Hilary Overton, Olympian weightlifter Eireen Ann Ando, and Trevor Hammond, NUSTAR's senior vice president for gaming and IR operations.

“As we light up the Christmas tree, our hope is that it also sparks a light in the hearts of everyone, and may this glow continue to inspire us to help brighten the lives of our deserving citizens and the communities that we serve,” NUSTAR Hotel’s general manager Roel Constantino said.

Apart from its tribute to the local community, NUSTAR embraces sustainability in its services, including the installation of solar panels that reduced its electric consumption by 11 percent and wastewater management.

“Our wastewater [is] recycled and re-treated and it's used to irrigate the landscape that you see around us. There are many initiatives, but admittedly we still have a long way to go. There are still many opportunities that we're trying to explore,” Constantino said.

“Most people actually who are luxury travelers, who stay in luxury hotels, are of a level of education that understands and actually appreciates that we're reducing our carbon emissions,” he added.

Such practices contributed to the increase of the occupancy rate of its flagship hotel, Fili, to 80 percent, catering to local and foreign guests.

While there were plans to expand outside Cebu, particularly in Luzon, NUSTAR continues to position itself in the growing and competitive hotel and casino market in the country after officially opening in May 2022 under the Gokongwei Group-owned Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc.

One of its strategies to captivate stakeholders, especially this holiday, was their new rewards program. Categorized in five tiers — Star, Sky, Sun, Zodiac, and the Universe (from lowest to highest) — these cards can be used by the guests to multiply their points and gaming credits whenever they dine, stay, shop, and play at NUSTAR.

“Perks? When you go to the stores, you have rebates, different percentages depending on the tier. You have to have transactions within a certain period to keep the tier you're at. More than the rebate, what's unique about NUSTAR Rewards is we have exclusive deals with our affiliate partners,” De Jesus said.

To give its stakeholders a festive Christmas celebration, Fili Hotel also offers a 20 percent discount on direct bookings for its standard rooms and suites and an additional 10 percent discount for NUSTAR Rewards members and upcoming amenities to be unveiled soon.