MANILA, Philippines - Some hotels in Visayas are offering lower accomodation rates to lure tourists amid the backlash over the August 23 hostage crisis in Manila.

Resorts and hotels on the famous Boracay Island and in Cebu have slashed room rates by up to 70%.

These businesses have been reporting millions of pesos in lost income opportunities after tourists from Hong Kong and China cancelled their plans to visit the Philippines.

Shellyn Sy, senior marketing officer of Patio Pacific, one of the resorts along Boracay's long stretch of white beach, said 80% of their clientele were Chinese.

"Now, we are just targeting European nationals. We are sending agents there [to market our services]," she said.

Earlier, the Department of Tourism in Visayas reported that at least 500 tourists from Hong Kong and China cancelled their trips to Boracay after 8 Hong Kong tourists died in the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand.

In the meantime, some hotels in Metro Manila said the tragedy had minimal effect on their operations.

Reto Klauser, general manager of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, said a big delegation of Chinese nationals was set to arrive at the hotel on Monday.

Klauser sees no need to offer huge discounts to clients.

He is optimistic that the travel warnings issued by other countries against the Philippines will soon be lifted as the government explains the Manila hostage crisis was an "isolated case."

In the province of Ilocos Norte, meanwhile, the biggest and lone 5-star hotel said Hong Kong tourists have not booked rooms ever since the Hong Kong Express Airways cancelled all its flights to the Laoag International Airport.

But just like the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Fort Ilocandia said the hostage crisis had minimal effect on its business because visits from other foreign nationals have increased.