Uniting Stakeholders for a Stronger Events Industry
BACOLOD - The City Government of Bacolod, through the Bacolod City Tourism Office, held the summit under the theme “Building Connections, Creating Opportunities: Strengthening Bacolod’s MICE Future.” The event emphasized that developing Bacolod as a MICE destination requires cooperation among hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, travel operators, event organizers, MSMEs, tourism attractions, creative businesses, suppliers, government agencies, and the wider community. By bringing these sectors together, the city aims to improve its readiness to accommodate conventions, conferences, incentive groups, exhibitions, sporting events, and other large-scale gatherings.
Industry Experts Highlight Opportunities for Bacolod
The summit featured presentations from tourism and events industry leaders who discussed destination competitiveness, partnerships, and the evolving requirements of event organizers. Discussions covered accessibility, flight connectivity, accommodation capacity, venue readiness, transportation, service quality, supplier availability, destination experiences, and government support. The program also included networking activities and a fireside chat focused on what organizers look for when choosing a host destination, reinforcing the importance of presenting Bacolod as one coordinated destination rather than a collection of individual establishments.
Bacolod SMILCE Opens New Path for Collaboration
A key development was the formal introduction of Bacolod Sports, Meetings, Incentives, Leisure, Conventions, and Exhibitions (Bacolod SMILCE), bringing private-sector stakeholders together under a shared vision for the city's events industry. Officers and board members were inducted, while participating stakeholders signed a commitment wall supporting Bacolod's goal of becoming a leading destination for major events. The initiative is expected to strengthen industry coordination, create business opportunities, and generate wider economic benefits as visitors attending events spend on accommodations, dining, transportation, tourism activities, local products, and other services.
