Local hotel braces for MICE influx

CEBU, Philippines – As Cebu emerges as a preferred MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibits) destination in Southeast Asia, Cebu Grand Hotel is now bracing for the anticipated influx of corporate meetings and events from ASEAN member countries to be held here.

Managed by BF Management Corporation, the 22 year old business hotel is preparing an extensive promotional blitz in selected ASEAN countries this year to spur interest, said its general manager Carlo Anton Suarez.

In an interview yesterday, Suarez said that after the hotel completed its major renovations of rooms and function rooms, it is now high time for the hotel to reach out directly to potential clients.

Suarez , who is also the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) vice president for hotels, believes in Cebu's capacity to lead as MICE destination in ASEAN but individual properties have to make their own promotional efforts, along with the pooled industry movement to further strengthen Cebu's MICE positioning.

The 100-room business hotel has expanded its accommodation capacity for function events. Its biggest function room can host an event of 400 people.

"We expect companies from around the region to hold their corporate meetings, and related events in Cebu. We have seen it coming already in recent months." Suarez.

Immediately after the pick season due to the Sinulog Festival and the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), Suarez said his team will start participating in trade shows specifically in the ASEAN region, excluding its own initiated sales mission, which will kick off in the next few months.

From dominantly business and leisure related bookings, the trend now is slowly transforming into MICE-led occupancy, Suarez said. (FREEMAN)