DAVAO CITY, March 21 (PIA)- The City Government of Davao is pushing for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events) tourism as one of its lynchpin for recovery and growth.
During her last State of the City Address outgoing Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said they have activated the Davao City MICE Strategic Masterplan which will guide the local government and the hospitality industry in improving MICE programs, strategy and infrastructure.
“As a major MICE destination in the country we are confident that we are able to once again achieve our pre-pandemic tourist arrivals of more than two million per year and generate 39 billion pesos in estimated tourism receipts,” the Mayor said in her SOCA.
Also during her address the Mayor bared the construction of the Davao City MICE building which will be constructed at the City Government compound beside Peoples Park.
“ This will house several meeting rooms, auditoriums and theater and an events center,” Mayor Duterte-Carpio said.
But the program generating interest among MICE players in the city is the eventual adoption of a MICE Strategic Master Plan.
The MICE Master plan created by the University of Sto Tomas College of Tourism and Hospitality Management was turned over to the City of Davao on March 4. A day-long orientation workshop on the masterplan followed on March 5.
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| Turnover of the Davao City MICE Strategic Management Plan to the City Gov't of Davao |
Among the strategic recommendations from the masterplan include;
1. To establish a government bureau that will oversee the MICE industry;
2. To expand integrated/mixed use tourism complexes with large scale work in key areas equipped with latest technology
3. To create a unique brand that aims to appeal its target market;
4. To professionalize MICE organizers;
5. To increase Davao City’s visibility; and
6. To strengthen Davao City’s MICE analytics.
The MICE strategic masterplan contains a four-stage action plan, namely:
1. Professionalization and the formalization of the Davao City MICE industry
2. Setting and finalizing the strategic directions of the MICE bureau;
3. Developing tools and plans to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, and control measures; and
4. Expansion of Davao City MICE vision to become the preferred destination and provider in the ASEAN region.
According to City Tourism Operations Office OIC the MICE Strategic Masterplan is vital as Davao City together with the private sector as MICE is the main brand of the city.
“We already have the Davao MICE Execom since 2015 but what is lacking there is really no formal organization that can handle and answer questions about MICE Davao,” Tecson said.
She said with the prodding of Mayor Sara to the tourism sector to look at opportunities, they saw MICE as an opportunity to jumpstart Davao tourism.
“The Davao City MICE strategic masterplan will be our roadmap in achieving our goal of being the premiere MICE destination not only in the country but also in the ASEAN region.
Tecson said the masterplan will encourage the stakeholders and players in the city to work together.
Also the implementation of the masterplan will create Davao MICE Board as a separate office that will replace the Davao MICE Execom. The MICE Board will handle everything about MICE in Davao City.
MICE opportunities
This year Tecson is bullish about MICE tourism in the recovery of the tourism industry. She pointed out that the City will be hosting MICE Conference (MICECON) 2022 and other large conventions and events.
The MICECON 2022 was actually MICECON 2020 which the city won in its bid but due to pandemic the event was cancelled and eventually the hosting of this year’s return biggest gathering of MICE industry players will be hosted by Davao City.
She said the new, up and coming events facilities like convention centers, coliseums and hotels rising in Davao City will help position the city as the top-of-mind MICE destination not just in the country but also in the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area). (PIA/RG Alama).
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