Thursday, November 22, 2007 Microsoft promotes Cebu as convention, leisure hub
TO signify its commitment to promote Cebu as one of the leading convention destinations in Asia, Microsoft Philippines Inc. recently held two of its international conventions in the province.
Earlier this month, the Worldwide Platform Strategy Summit was held here bringing over 100 top Microsoft executives from 80 countries worldwide.
The recently concluded convention was the second international conference held in Cebu for the year, with the first one held in Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort, said Microsoft Philippines director for business marketing organization Karrie Capellan-Iligan.
“Normally, Microsoft will require each country to send at least two to three representatives. This is a good promotional tool for Cebu,” she said.
In an interview with reporters, Iligan said Microsoft Philippines has been pushing for the holding of company-led conventions in Cebu, owing to the province’s attractiveness not only for business but also as a leisure destination.
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“Internally, we are advertising Cebu as a convention hub for Microsoft. This is one thing that we have strong influence in, and it can help Cebu’s bid into becoming a convention hub,” she said.
She said Cebu is an effective way to promote the Philippines because of the province’s good reputation in terms of business and leisure.
Iligan said Cebu’s successful hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit early this year has strengthened the province’s foothold as a preferred convention site.
With the Microsoft international conventions held in the province, Cebu is now known in the entire Microsoft system especially among its top executives, she said. She added that this is a good signal that the province is capable of attracting top-notch multinational companies to hold their events here.
She also said that more international conventions of Microsoft International operations will be held in Cebu in the next few years.
In every company-led convention, she said Mic-rosoft also promotes the tourism industry of the area.
Microsoft is regarded as one of the huge economic contributors in the Philippine economy, especially coming from the private sector.
Iligan said that every peso that Microsoft invests in the Philippines results in P16 worth of opportunities for hardware and service providers as well as software resellers.
“About 30 percent of the entire IT (information technology) ecosystem revolved in the Microsoft Platform, thus the company’s contribution to the Philippine economy is larger as it results in a long-term and positive domino effect,” she said.
She said Cebu, in particular, is an emerging growth driver for Microsoft Philippines operations, contributing 40 percent of the company’s growth in the entire southern Philippines. (MMM)
