Experts in various industries from different parts of the world are flying to the country for a MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) conference in Bacolod on Nov. 27-29.
Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, the MICE Conference or MICECON is the biggest industry gathering of its kind and is a highly anticipated educational event for travel and tourism practitioners.
MICE is a major contributor to the growth of Philippine tourism. MICECON 2018 aims to establish the Philippines’ standing as the preferred destination for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions as outlined in the MICE Roadmap 2030, which targets to increase revenues derived from the MICE industry to some P25 billion by growing annual MICE arrivals to 3 percent, and increasing the total usable space for exhibitions to over 170,895 square meters.
For this year’s event, the TPB has gathered an impressive roster of local and international speakers, namely: Susan Sarfati, founding chief executive officer of The Center for Association Leadership and executive vice president of the American Society of Association Executives; Liz Jackson, vice president of Association Management Group and president of Associated Luxury Hotels; Peng Ee, of the Global Commerce Business unit of TTG Asia Media; and Jerry Sibal, founder of Jerry Sibal Design and a world-renowned event designer and florist.
Apart from being named one of the 25 most influential people in the meetings industry by Meeting News, Sarfati’s achievements include Non-profit Times Executive of the Year, the Spirit of Hospitality Award, as well as over two decades of experience in creating high-performance individuals, teams, and organizations.
Jackson has been involved in the association community of Washington, DC for 30 years, taking on executive career roles and as a member of several professional association boards of directors. Some of the awards she has received include Meeting Professionals International Member of the Year, Greater Washington Society of Association Executives’ Board Member Award, and American Society of Association Executives Fellow selection for leadership.
Peng Ee has extensive experience in exhibitions and events, and was recently appointed to transform the Global Business Unit of TTG Asia Media, organizer of the IT&CMA, the leading international MICE event centered in the Asia Pacific, as well as the TTG’s MICE show in China, which saw the largest Philippine contingent in its history.
For more than 25 years, Sibal has built a name for himself as a leading event designer and floral artist, creating magical settings for both private parties and corporate events. In May, he produced the first-ever Philippine Tourism Expo, in partnership with the DOT and TBP, a four-day event held at the Vanderbilt Hall, New York Grand Central Terminal.
Aside from the learnings derived from the engaging talks, the MICECON 2018 program also includes networking opportunities during themed social functions. It likewise aims to showcase what Bacolod City has to offer as a MICE venue, while further upgrading its capabilities in targeting and handling the MICE market.