MANILA -- A hotel marketing group is holding an online sale starting Tuesday, throwing a lifeline to the country's hospitality industry as it reels from the economic blow dealt by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Aptly called SOS or September Online Sale, the event is organized by Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Tourism Promotions Board, Atlantis, and iSentia.

From September 15 to 30, 89 hotels and resorts in the country will offer discounts of up to 70% on regular rates through HSMA's website.

"SOS also means help for the travel industry. Hopefully, things will be better soon," HSMA treasurer Carmela Bocanegra said in a recent virtual briefing with the media.

"It's our worst nightmare ever in the hospitality industry," she added, referring to the pandemic. "We are just trying to survive and get by, at least break even as much as we can."

Below are the participating hotels and resorts in the online sale:

MANILA/PASAY

- The Bayleaf Intramuros
- Bayview Park Hotel Manila
- Belmont Hotel Manila
- Conrad Manila
- Diamond Hotel
- Golden Phoenix Hotel Manila
- Heritage Hotel Manila
- Hilton Manila
- Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City
- Hotel 101 Manila
- Hotel Jen Manila
- Kabayan Hotel
- Midas Hotel & Casino
- Savoy Hotel Manila
- Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
- Winford Manila Resort & Casino

MAKATI/BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY

- Discovery Primea
- Dusit Thani Manila
- Grand Hyatt Manila
- Holiday Inn & Suites Makati
- Hotel Celeste
- Makati Shangri-La, Manila
- New World Makati Hotel
- One Pacific Place Serviced Residences
- Oxford Suites
- Seda BGC
- Seda Residences Makati
- Shangri-La at the Fort
- Valero Grand Suites by SwissBelhotel.com

ORTIGAS/QUEZON CITY

- Ace Hotel & Suites
- Astoria Plaza Ortigas
- BSA Twin Towers
- Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria
- Discovery Suites
- Eastwood Richmonde Hotel
- Edsa Shangri-La, Manila
- Joy Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila
- Luxent Hotel
- Marco Polo Ortigas Manila
- Microtel by Wyndham - UP Technohub
- Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA
- Richmonde Hotel Ortigas
- Seda Vertis North
- The Linden Suites

NORTH OF METRO MANILA

- Aureo La Union
- Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel
- Costa Pacifica
- Grand Sierra Pines Baguio
- Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
- Quest Plus and Conference Center Clark
- Vitalis Villas

SOUTH OF METRO MANILA

- Acacia Hotel Manila
- Acuatico Beach Resort
- Acuaverde Beach Resort
- The Bayleaf Cavite
- Chateau Royale Hotel Resort & Spa
- Crimson Filinvest City Manila
- Quest Hotel Tagaytay
- Seda Nuvali
- The Bellevue Manila
- Twin Lakes Hotel

BORACAY

- Belmont Hotel Boracay
- Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay
- Discovery Shores Boracay
- Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel
- Paradise Garden Boracay Resort & Convention Center
- Savoy Hotel Boracay
- Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa
- The Lind Boracay
- The Muse Hotel Boracay

VISAYAS

- Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort
- Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort
- Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort
- Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan
- Quest Hotel & Conference Center Cebu
- Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
- Radisson Blu Cebu
- Richmonde Hotel Iloilo
- Savoy Hotel Mactan
- Shangri-La's Mactan Resort & Spa
- The Bellevue Resort

PALAWAN/ MINDANAO

- Aziza Paradise Hotel
- Bacau Bay Resort Coron
- BW Plus The Ivywall Hotel
- Club Paradise Palawan
- Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort
- DusitD2 Davao
- Miniloc Island Resort
- Seda Lio

According to Bocanegra, the minimum expiration for the hotel and resort vouchers is one year, with others having unlimited validity.

HSMA chair Margarita Munsayac, for her part, said hotels and resorts will be "very flexible" in adjusting to quarantine rules set by the government.

"I know there is apprehension about purchasing the vouchers, like what if we don't transition to MGCQ (modified general community quarantine) by October?" she acknowledged. "The hotels and resorts will be very flexible... if the MGCQ will be announced by October, the expiration will be moved."

Munsayac also assured buyers that all properties featured in SOS have passed health and safety guidelines.

Over the weekend, the DOT said it has received approval from the government's pandemic response task force to allow staycations or short-term leisure stays in hotels in GCQ areas.