City gears up for Mice 2013

AFTER the successful holding of various national conferences, seminars, and conventions in Davao City, the Department of Tourism (DOT), along with its partners in Davao Region, are now preparing for another international event-- the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) 2013.

Jason Magnaye, Davao City tourism and investment officer, in fact, went to Zamboanga City to personally invite tourism stakeholders there for the Mice event slated on March 6-9 at the SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premier.

The Mice 2013 is a major gathering of key stakeholders in the tourism and travel sectors.

With the hosting of Davao City of Mice, it offers a huge opportunity to showcase its destinations and local products to the delegates.

Art Boncato Jr., regional chief of DOT told Sun.Star Davao Thursday that MICE is expected to gather over 500 participants.

Among the expected participants for this year's Mice are from travel and tour operators to airline companies.

Boncato also said the city will be expecting more big events to be held here for the coming months.

Last Tuesday, the two-day Philippine Development Forum (PDF) has successfully culminated after the 1st Mindanao Development Forum (MDF) which was held a week earlier.

Both the PDF and the MDF was attended by roughly 700 participants both from the government side and its development partners.

This week also, the two-day Philippine Councilors' League (PCL) was also successfully held its annual national convention at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Lanang Premier, which opened September of last year.

The PCL, which was headed by its president Alma Moreno, was attended by hundreds of councilors across the country.

Young Council of Hotel and Restaurant Educators in the Philippines (Cohrep) also held its national convention last January 30-February 2.

The Cohrep's national convention gathered more than 200 delegates.

In November, Davao City will also play host to the biennial AD Congress, which will be held in Mindanao for the first time. This event is expected to gather at least 3,500 delegates.