Davao, destination MICE

Photo by Ramcez Villegas
Photo by Ramcez Villegas

WHEN Davao City first hosted the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) Conference (MICECon) in 2013, it was in its infancy as a destination for Mice.

Mary Ann M. Montemayor, one of Davao City’s key tourism leaders from the private sector, recalled how “young” the Mice industry of the city was decades ago, especially when it comes to the available facilities.

At the helm with Montemayor and other tourism leaders in this pioneering endeavor was Arturo P. Boncato, Jr., who was formerly the regional director of the Department of Tourism Davao before becoming a Tourism undersecretary.

Boncato noted that when Davao City hosted the Asean Tourism Forum in 2006, there was a lack of Mice facilities. They had to make use then of available facilities like the conference area of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and The Venue, which is across it.

“We used those facilities as a major staging area. We also made a makeshift exhibition in NCCC (Mall Maa). That was how we were able to do it despite the lack of Mice facilities according to global standards,” Boncato said.

He said they also managed to provide the delegates with an experience they could not forget.

“We may lack in terms of the quality of the exhibition space, but we excelled in giving them a very unforgettable experience. Even Mayor [Rodrigo] Duterte then went all out. He funded it, he showed up in the meetings. It became a very successful hosting,” Boncato said, adding that this was the first international tourism event that Davao City hosted.

In December 2012, Davao City’s MICE industry was given a boost when SMX Convention Center opened. The convention center was capable of hosting large events allowing the city to host MiceCon 2013.

Hosting MICECon 2013, Montemayor said this brought a positive impact on the city as it paved the way for the city to host more Mice-related activities and facilities.

“Because of what we showcased during Micecon 2013, mas maraming [organizers] naging (more organizers became) more confident to book here in Davao,” Montemayor said.

As someone who owns a catering business, Montemayor said she experienced the deluge of Mice in Davao City.

“The difference between Mice then and now is our facilities grew and we now have bigger convention centers,” Jennifer Romero, Davao City Tourism Operations Office officer-in-charge, said.

In terms of Mice venues, there are now around 50 convention facilities in the. The SMX Convention Center remains to be the largest being able to cater to as many as 4,500 delegates. Other large venues in the city include the Davao Convention Center, The Tent at the Azuela Cove, and the grand ballrooms of the city’s major hotels like the Waterfront Insular Hotel and Dusit Thani’s Grand Ballroom.

“What also really changed today is the inventory of rooms and the rapid development of Davao as an urban destination,” Boncato said.

It was not only the venues that were growing. As Davao City continues to grow and becomes an economic powerhouse, it also saw the entry of new accommodation facilities that cater to travelers of all persuasions coming to the city. From nearly 5,000 rooms in 2013, the city now has an inventory of over 9,500 rooms.

Montemayor also noted how Davao City now has suppliers or businesses that are able to cater to the needs of those who will be having their Mice activities in Davao City. For instance, the job of an events organizer has now branched out to several specializations. There are also now different stylists and food and beverage services that can cater to the specific needs of different clients.

“To mount a Mice event in any destination, you need different suppliers, and in Davao we already have them. What's nice is it keeps growing,” she said.

Davao City now is also better connected to key destinations in the Philippines with flights to and from Manila and Cebu. It is also served with two international flights to Singapore, an important global hub that connects Davao City to other foreign destinations. This may cut the travel time for some travelers as they could fly directly to Davao City via Singapore without going through Cebu or Manila.

At the backbone of the vibrant Mice industry of Davao City is a strong collaboration between the public and private sectors.

“To be able to put Davao City as a top-of-mind destination will involve a lot of things. We can achieve that because our government pays attention to supporting initiatives in tourism,” Cherry Faye B. Al-ag, Davao Tourism Association president said.

She added that the private sector is very engaged and highly participative in the development of the Mice industry in the city.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph