ILOILO City – The Department of Tourism Region 6 director Atty. Helen Catalbas has challenged the tourism stakeholders to level up their game if Iloilo City aims to be a MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions/events) City in the Philippines.
The recently concluded Iloilo MICE Tourism Plan Presentation and MICE 101 Seminar here highlighted the positioning of Iloilo as one of the top MICE cities in the Philippines. The Department of Tourism (DOT) presented the Iloilo MICE marketing plan as a destination that offers the best package of MICE facilities, services, and tourism products.
More than 60 tourism stakeholders, both from the private and public sectors, attended the said program and provided comments, suggestions and commitment to make the Iloilo MICE marketing plan a success.
“The true measure of success of the MICE Tourism Plan and MICE seminar will be the effort of the private stakeholders in upgrading their facilities and LGUs commitment in creating unique tourism products for Iloilo to offer a MICE package of distinctive taste. The city should have a venue that can cater bigger MICE, services that are at par with international standard, more event organizers that are DOT-accredited, and tourism products to include pre and post conference tours,” director Catalbas said.
An Iloilo MICE City Core Group was created to ensure the implementation of the strategies of the plan: Referral, Competitive Pricing, Retention and Incentives. The members of the core group are representatives from the Accommodation Facilities, MICE Organizers, MICE Venues, Travel and Tours, Tour Guides, Tourist Transports, Restaurants/Food, Farms, Artists/Performing Arts, Heritage Sites/Museums and Galleries, and Specialty Shops. DOT, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), LGUs of the Iloilo City and Provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras will also be part of the core group representing the public sector.
The Iloilo City MICE Marketing Plan is set to be implemented within a three-year period with the first year focusing on the creation of Iloilo City MICE Desk, MICE Alliance, MICE guidelines, production of MICE promotional materials, training for MICE service providers and MICE roadshows./PN
