By Nanette Guadalquiver – PNA News
BACOLOD CITY — More than 500 practitioners and stakeholders from the country’s travel and tourism industry will converge in this city for the MICE Convention 2018 on Nov. 27 to 29.
The event, which will be held at SMX Convention Center Bacolod and Resorts Negrense, is considered the biggest gathering of Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events (MICE) professionals under the business tourism sector.
Councilor Em Ang, project manager of MICECON 2018 Bacolod Organizing Committee, said the organizers expect at least 400 registered delegates alone during the three-day gathering.
The rest include officials and staff from the organizing agency, the Department of Tourism’s marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), and other concerned agencies as well as support staff from the local organizing committee.
“We’re expecting a big turnout this year,” Ang said.
In hosting this year’s conference, Bacolod will showcase what it has to offer as a MICE venue and further upgrade its capabilities in targeting and handling the MICE market.
Themed “Towards a Connected and Sustainable Community”, the 2018 edition will highlight the recently launched Philippine MICE Roadmap 2030, a public and private sector partnership initiative that aims to propel the country into being one of the top MICE Destinations in Asia.
The MICE Roadmap 2030 will closely connect all industry players and provide a direction that promotes the sustainable development of the Philippine MICE Industry.
This year, the speakers include Susan Sarfati, founding chief executive officer of the Center for Association Leadership and executive vice president of the American Society of Association Executives; Liz Jackson, vice president of Association Management Group and president of Associated Luxury Hotels; Peng Ee of the Global Commerce Business unit of TTG Asia Media; and Jerry Sibal, founder of Jerry Sibal Design and a world-renowned event designer and florist.
According to the TPB, the MICE industry is a major contributor to the growth of Philippine tourism and through the MICE Roadmap 2030, the country aims to increase revenues derived from the MICE industry to some PHP25 billion, by growing annual MICE arrivals to three percent and increasing the total usable space for exhibitions to over 170,895 square meters
