THE Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions-Conference (Micecon) has a big contribution to the tourism industry in Bacolod City, Department of Tourism (DOT)-Western Visayas Director Helen Katalbas said on Thursday, November 29.
“There’s tourist arrivals or delegates here that delivered a big contribution in the city’s tourism industry,” Katalbas said.
In 2018, Bacolod has been chosen as the host of the 6th edition of the Philippine Micecon that was organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
The event was attended by about 500 participants from hotels, resorts, airlines, events, and conventions industries in the country from November 27 to 29.
Katalbas said the local government units (LGUs) and private sector were taught how to handle big-time and up-to-date Mice activities to level up the city’s expertise as well as Western Visayas as a whole to be a Mice destination.
“Because the nature of Mice as Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, a high spending, long-staying and optimal experience that were exposed to the delegates which at the end, the highlights was the tourist destination in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental and Region 6,” she said.
She added that after Boracay, Bacolod and Negros Occidental are second in terms of the number of tourist arrival in 2017 and the first half of 2018, as most visited by both foreign and domestic tourists.
Katalbas said that Bacolod is complete with facilities, the services are also available, the culture of the people, and the delicacies it has what it takes to be a major tourist destination in the country.
Micecon consolidates and strengthens all sectors involved in the Mice industry by providing an ideal platform for a comprehensive educational program and trade opportunity for the Philippine Mice and tourism practitioners.
It also aimed to showcase new developments, establishments, and products in the host city and increase the levels of creativity and professionalism and further upgrade capabilities of the host city in targeting and handling the Mice market.
Marie Venus Tan, chief operating officer of TPB, earlier said that tourism is the most inclusive industry in the world today.
She said tourism touches all sectors, a direct infusion to the economy, and Bacolod and Negros have beautiful destinations and landscape.
On a scale of one to 10, Katalbas rated Bacolod eight for the hosting of Micecon.
“I wouldn't say we are perfect, but I think we have delivered what is expected, we cannot be perfect because there’s a lot of factors,” Katalbas said.
In order to improve the city’s tourism, Katalbas said that Bacolod needs more tour guides and the DOT in Western Visayas will not stop holding trainings for tour guides.
“If we have to attract more events and Mice activities, we have to have more rooms. I think Bacolod is on its way, it has building boom on going right now and with more investors, we are there already, but we have to work hard together with the private sector, National Government and the community as a whole,” she said.
“We are happy and thankful because considering the fact that we have very little time to prepare which were for just two months and the delegates seems satisfied with how the city hosted like what Katalbas has said that it’s not perfect, but I think for first-timer we did very well,” said Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the City Council committee on tourism.
She added that given the limited resources and time, the city was able to host the conference successfully.
Meanwhile, Ang also agreed that Bacolod is lack of accredited tour guide.
“If we have to compete with other LGUs and destinations, we also have to scale-up the manpower as well and at the same time the human resource,” Ang said.
She said they also need the cooperation of the private sectors for the success of the city’s events.