SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA - SMX Convention Center Clark has been honored with the Meeting, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibition (MICE) Event of the Year award at the 7th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards held on August 24, 2026, at the Marriott Manila. The prestigious recognition was given for the venue's successful hosting of the Sports Tourism Forum 2025, a landmark event that brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for positioning the Philippines as a premier sports tourism hub in Asia.
Industry Recognition for a Transformative Forum
The Sports Tourism Forum 2025, held on November 7, 2025, at SMX Clark, gathered industry leaders, government officials, and sports organizers to align with national initiatives aimed at leveraging major sporting events—such as past FIBA tournaments and international championships—to drive regional tourism and economic growth. The forum was organized by the Sports Turismo Alliance and supported by key partners including the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Department of Tourism (DOT), Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), and Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC). SMX Convention Center Clark General Manager Eduardo Miguel Morato received the award from PSTA President and Founder Charles Lim, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Pato Gregorio, and DOT Undersecretary Shalimar Tamano.
Why This Award Matters for Clark and Pampanga
The award highlights the growing importance of combining MICE with sports tourism, creating a high-value economic driver that merges athletic competitions with corporate travel, professional networking, and large-scale industry events. Business and sports tourists typically outspend traditional leisure travelers, driving higher revenues for hotels, local transport, and hospitality providers. This recognition follows the venue's sustained winning streak, which includes multiple accolades at the DOT Region 3's Tourism Recognition for Enterprises and Stakeholders (TRES) Awards and the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard Award. With SMX Clark undergoing a major expansion from 2026 to 2028 to attract larger events, this award affirms Clark's status as a premier destination for sports tourism and MICE activities in the Philippines.
