DOT eyes big deals at MICE Mart for various tourism, travel sectors

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing huge deals for the country’s various tourism and travel sectors that will participate in the forthcoming Philippine Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events Conference (MICECON).

Slated at the Cebu International Convention Center on Aug. 10 to 13, MICECON 2011 includes MICE Mart, a pre-scheduled whole-day business-to-business session between foreign and local buyers and Philippine sellers of MICE travel products and services, according to Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim.

“We have invited selected foreign MICE buyers from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and Australia to do business with our local suppliers during the MICE Mart,” Lim said.

“These buyers are likewise MICE professionals in their own countries who can bring international events and groups to the Philippines,” Lim added.

The DOT, through its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), has also invited buyers from all over the country who can bring local events to Cebu and take the lead in bidding for the holding of certain international events in the Philippines.

Constituting the estimated 50 foreign and local buyers are corporate end-users of incentive programs, association executives, MICE organizers, travel agencies, tour operators, and destination management firms.

“In effect, we are practically gathering the global MICE industry in a single venue, and providing them with all the business linkages and opportunities for supply contracts, marketing tie-ups, joint ventures in MICE investments and projects, and other lucrative deals while strategically promoting Cebu and the rest of the Philippines as an international MICE destination,” Lim said.

The MICECON secretariat is still accepting applicants for local hosted buyers. Associations and corporations that regularly hold meetings, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, events, sales rally, seminars, and trainings or provide incentive travel to their employees are invited to participate in MICECON 2011 as hosted buyers.

All local buyers are entitled to complimentary conference registration inclusive of kit and badge, complimentary accommodations in MICECON’s partner business and luxury hotels in Cebu, complimentary shuttle service in Cebu (hotel to conference and event venues), all meals during the conference, and inclusion of company name in the MICECON 2011 directory.

Those interested to participate as a buyer can coordinate with the MICECON 2011 secretariat at the TPB or with the DOT regional offices. Call 525-6110, 525-6635 or 525-9318, fax at 521-6165, e-mail at micecon2011regn@yahoo.com or cit.unit@gmail.com or visit www.micecon.net.

With the theme “I share. You connect. We change,” MICECON 2011 emphasizes the need to adapt to an evolving global MICE market and its complexities.

The theme will be highlighted in the MICECON seminars involving at least 20 experts from all over the world and several top Filipino corporate moguls as speakers.

“They (speakers) will share their expertise with some 300 participants in this international event (MICECON), which is strategically designed to draw global attention to the Philippines as an international MICE hub in this part of the world,” Lim said.

MICECON 2011 is organized by the DOT through the TPB, with the full support of the province of Cebu, the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS), the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), and the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Events/Exhibitions (MITE) Philippines Inc.

The conference is also supported by Philippine Airlines, Duty Free Philippines, the Cebu City government, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort, Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Cebu Parklane Hotel, Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort, Movenpick Resort and Spa Cebu, Primer Group of Companies, Centrex Corp., Ensogo-Philippines, American Express, and the provincial government of Bohol.