DAVAO City has an average of one meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (Mice) every month availing of the Mice Davao Program, an official said.
Kennedy Kapulong, chair of Davao Mice Executive Committee (Execom), said the city has strengthened its position as a most-preferred Mice destination in the country.
"We can attribute this achievement to our intensified efforts of promoting and marketing our program. We went around the country, participated numerous expos and gatherings just to promote the Mice Davao Program to lure more tourists in the city," he said.
He added that President Rodrigo Duterte's election to the highest post in the country has contributed to the increasing numbers of organizers availing of the program.
Moving forward to 2017 and beyond, Kapulong said, they intend to double the monthly average of events availing the program.
He said they are now looking not just for local events by also for international events to be hosted in the city.
Daphne Jezelle Alojado, vice chair of Mice Program, said they are intensifying its efforts to promote the program to government-led event as the latter remained unaware of the program's benefits.
Kapulong also noted that the Mice Davao participating members have become more diverse, as it is now not limited to only hotels and convention centers, it is already joined by spa, tour operators and even those with the event's organizers and entertainment groups.
As of October 2016, Mice- Davao has assisted a total of eight events including the 83rd PVMA Scientific Conference and Annual Convention, 10th PHALGA: Mindanao Geographical Conference, BIMP-EAGA International Halal Congress: An Academe Perspective, Daughters of Mary Immaculate International Biennial Conference, Ureka Project Forum, Cocolink 2016 - International Coconut Conference, KakaoKonek - Cacao Conference and National Coffee Summit.
While five other events are set to be assisted by the program: Mother Butler Convention on October 22 to 23, with 1700 delegates, Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers on November 17-19 with 3500 delegates, Servant Communities National Conference on November 18-20 with 500 delegates, Philippine Librarians Association Convention on November 22-25 with 600 delegates and Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants National Convention on November 24-26 with 5000 delegates.
Mice Davao Execom has conducted nine roadshows across the country as of September this year.
To further invite more Mice events here, the execom launched Thursday, October 13, the enhanced Mice Program Incentives 2017 to 2018 with better discounts and benefits.
The program comes in three incentive packages.
For Incentive A (300 to 999 participants), basic incentives include: use of the DOT information Counters at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, airport reception (welcome dancers and welcome tarpaulin) on the arrival date (bulk arrival) of the delegates in Francisco Bangoy International Airport, welcome kits and leis, assistance by Davao City Tourism Office for the issuance of permits for welcome banners/streamers, special MICE accommodation rates from DOT- accredited hotels and resorts, special Mice airline group rate from Air Asia and Cebu Pacific, incentive discount per transportation booking with Mabuhay Car Rentals, incentive discounts from Abreeza Ayala Mall and SM Lanang Premier participating outlets, incentive discount from participating wellness and spa centers of Davao Wellness Association, discount from participating stores of Pasalubong Center.
While for events with over 1,000 participants, organizers can enjoy basic incentives plus complimentary meeting room at SMX Convention Center, hosted Familiarization Tour for the inspection team for three days and 2 nights. For 2,000 and above participants, apart from the basic and additional incentives, they can also have a discount on rental fee of the function room in SMX Convention Center.