Build it and they will come

By Pinky Forte

More convention centers are being built and existing ones expanded as the industry gets ready for the return of business events and for the growing trend for bigger events, especially exhibitions.

The largest convention centers are concentrated in Metro Manila yet pre-pandemic, they were already operating full capacity and had to turn down some events due to lack of space.

The shortage of convention centers outside Metro Manila is now being addressed, albeit slowly.

Over at the Manila Bay MICE area, the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) is adding 2,000 sqm of venue space on the upper floors of the Plenary Hall and reception halls this year while its adjacent multi-storey building project with an area of 30,000 sqm will be completed by 2026. PICC already has over 70,000 sqm of floor space including the event venues, ancillary facilities, lounges, the courtyard, Forum, among others.

SMX Convention Center (SMX) Manila has a total floor area of 17,170 sqm, with little elbow room for expansion while World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) has an indoor exhibition space of 10,560 sqm and outdoor space of 10,000 sqm.

Yet SMX Manila and garita Montemayor Nograles.

WTCMM have become small for huge exhibitions like the annual Philconstruct Forum, automotive and a few other shows such that organizers have to book both venues for one exhibition.

Industry sources noted that while in the past exhibitions was part of a convention or a congress, now it is not unusual for exhibitions to become the main event.

Newport World Resorts has become a thriving MICE destination with Marriott Grand Ballroom (MGB) and eight hotels within it. MGB expanded its 8,000 sqm of function space when it opened the 3,800 sqm MGBX Convention Hall on the lower level B1 last year.

Like other integrated resorts, the hotels at Newport World Resorts have varying sizes of ballrooms and meeting rooms. One of these, Sheraton Manila Hotel, converted its Collab co-working area into an events space last year, providing an additional 1,000 sqm of space for a total event space of 1,760 sqm.

Not far from the metro, Clark is fast becoming a MICE hub.

With the theme, “MICEConverge: Blaze New Trails,” the three-day conference is a hybrid event expected to bring in 500 in-person delegates and up to 2,000 online participants from here and abroad.

CECON will provide a tremendous boost to the city’s tourism industry and a huge step towards its own vision of making Davao a preferred MICE destination not only in the Philippines but in Asia”, said TPB COO Maria Mar-

Highlights of the event include the MICE Youth Challenge, Power Dressing and Glam Makeup Sessions and Workshops where Davao’s finest tourism and product services will be on full display with the sub-themes, “Celebrating Nature”, “Celebrating Diversity” and “Celebrating Travel and Technology.” championship golf courses and a compendium of luxury hotels and resorts including Banyan Tree, Angsana, Sofitel, Emblems, The Luxury Collection and Westin.

SMX Clark has over 4,061 sqm of events space while Quest Plus Conference Center has a combined meeting rooms of 1,288 sqm can host smaller events.

At the sprawling Hann Casino Resort, Widus Hotel and Casino’s grand ballroom has 1,339 sqm enough for business events ranging from 720 to 1,088 pax depending on set up. Surrounding the ballrooms are 7 breakout rooms, of which biggest can accommodate up to 150 pax. It has three other function rooms offering a total of 372.6 sqm for 272 pax. Meanwhile, the newly minted 372-key Swissotel Clark has 5 meetings rooms with a total area of 211.03 sqm and an adjoining lovely foyer ideal for private board meetings and small celebrations. Marriott Clark has five event rooms with a total of 1,014 sqm venues for up to 650 pax, and 4 breakout rooms for smaller gatherings.

Expect more from Hann Development Corp. which is transforming a 450-hectare land in New Clark City in Tarlac into Hann Reserve with three 18-hole

NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu South Road Properties (SRP) is to launch its 2,000-pax NUSTAR Convention Center in the second quarter and Fili Ballroom of the Fili Hotel later this year.

The SMX Convention Center Cebu, also at SRP, is targeting a 2026 opening. It will have over 20,000 sqm of leasable space for over 15,000 pax depending on the event set up.

SMHCC, the country’s largest MICE operator with eight exhibition and convention venues in key cities, has a total leasable space of 42,085 sqm and its nine hotels has a total of 2,212 keys.

Megaworld Hotels and Resorts will debut the 1,500-pax Mactan New Town Convention Center in two years. It will be located near the 550-key Belmont Hotel and 547-key Savoy Hotel in Mactan, easing the sparse business events venue in Cebu.

In mid-2022, Megaworld opened The Tent at Boracay Newcoast, in the eponymous township which has already 1,000 hotel rooms - and increasing. The Tent at Boracay Newcoast is a welcome addition to the island’s MICE venues, complementing its biggest convention facility, Paradise Garden Convention Center.