THE MICECon 2023 is seen to benefit the local economy as Mice (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) tourists coming to Davao City are expected to spend more.
“In the previous years before the pandemic, maybe six years ago, we pegged the daily revenue per person at P4,000 per day. I believe right now the cost is P6,000 per person per day. If you multiply P6,000 times 500 delegates times 3 days, that’s the estimated generated amount,” said Kennedy V. Kapulong, co-chair for the private sector of the MICECon 2023 Davao Organizing Committee.
In 2019, the city recorded around P38 billion in tourism receipts. Of this, P20 billion came from Mice.
Kapulong said during the pre-pandemic period, at least one large convention per week was held in the city.
Arnold T. Gonzales, conference convenor of the Philippine MICE Conference, shared that based on the report of the International Convention and Congress Association about the global earnings of Mice events, those attending Mice activities tend to spend more.
“The average daily expenditure of a tourist in 2019 is around $120 per person per day. For the MICE visitors, it’s about $550 dollars. These are business persons who attend conferences and meetings. It’s really a lucrative market. So, I understand that Davao City is targeting MICE as a potential market,” he said.
Globally, based on the report of the Center for Promotion of Imports, the value of the MICE market has accounted for $805 billion in 2017, $916 billion in 2019 and it is projected to reach $1,439 billion in 2025, and $1,780 billion in 2030.
MICECon 2023 is the country’s premier gathering for professionals in the MICE industry, which will take place on March 1 to 3, 2023 in Davao City. JDC