BACOLOD City — Bacolod City is stepping up efforts to attract bigger meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) and other major events as nearly 300 tourism and business stakeholders gathered for the Bacolod MICE Summit 2026 on August 25.
Held under the theme, “Building Connections, Creating Opportunities: Strengthening Bacolod’s MICE Future,” the summit brought together representatives from government, hotels and accommodations, restaurants, travel and tours, events, transportation, business, creative industries, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), academe and tourism organizations.
The gathering underscored that Bacolod’s ability to compete for major events will depend not only on its venues, but also on how well the different sectors work together in promoting the city as a single destination.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said the MICE sector can generate broader economic opportunities by bringing visitors who spend on accommodations, food, transportation, tourism attractions, local products and other services.
“We believe that tourism is one of the lifeblood of our economy. When tourism moves, businesses also move, opportunities are created, and more people benefit,” Gasataya said.
He stressed the need for government and the private sector to work together to make Bacolod more competitive in attracting large-scale events.
The summit highlighted several factors considered by event organizers when selecting destinations, including accessibility and air connectivity, accommodation capacity, venue readiness, transportation, destination experiences, supplier availability, service quality and government support.
Speakers included Natalie Lim, chairperson of the Iloilo MICE Alliance and general manager of Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo; Louella D. Caridad, head of Conventions and Exhibitions of Megaworld; and Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez, regional director of the Department of Tourism-Western Visayas and Negros Island Region.
Their presentations focused on destination collaboration, competitiveness and strategic directions for strengthening Bacolod’s MICE industry.
The summit also featured networking activities and discussions aimed at developing partnerships among tourism and business stakeholders.
A major development was the introduction of Bacolod Sports, Meetings, Incentives, Leisure, Conventions and Exhibitions (Bacolod SMILCE), a private-sector initiative designed to strengthen coordination among industry players.
The organization brings together stakeholders under a shared goal of promoting Bacolod as a competitive destination for major events.
Gasataya administered the oath of office of the organization’s newly appointed officers, led by President John Go of Roy’s Hotel and Convention Center.
Stakeholders also signed a commitment wall to signify their support for efforts to strengthen the city’s MICE industry.
Tourism officials said the initiative seeks to promote greater coordination among industry players instead of having individual establishments market themselves separately.
Gasataya said hosting MICE events can benefit businesses beyond the event venue, as delegates can generate demand for hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, tour operators, tourism attractions, event suppliers, creative services and MSMEs.
With its food, festivals, culture, heritage and hospitality, Bacolod also aims to offer visitors experiences beyond business events.
Gasataya said the city government remains committed to supporting tourism despite challenges faced by businesses and communities.
The summit was organized by the Bacolod City Tourism Development Office, led by Chief Tourism Operations Officer Ma. Teresa Q. Manalili, together with the city tourism team./PN
