MEDIA RELEASE

February 2011

The Department of Tourism (DOT) will heighten efforts to capture more of themeetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market in the next fiveyears by highlighting gains in business infrastructure and tour operations.“Securing a larger share of the valuable MICE market will be instrumental inbuilding on our record 3.5 million visitor arrivals in 2010,” said Tourism SecretaryAlberto A. Lim.

The country seeks to re-establish market presence by continuing itsparticipation in strategic MICE events, initially this year with the 19th Asia-PacificIncentives & Meetings Expo. Staged in Australia this February, the host country isthe Philippines’ fifth top foreign tourist generator last year with almost 150,000 in arrivals, also a record and a strong source market for MICE-related activities.In addition to Australia, India and ASEAN neighbours, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, Pacific-rim countries Canada and the United States comprise the Philippines’ core MICE market.

Selling points include a wealth of post-event tour activities available for groups, as well as safe and well-equipped venues.The MICE sector received a significant boost in 2010 with the rise of several new large-scale accommodation facilities. The cities of Metro Manila and Cebu attracted the bulk of tourist accommodation projects green-lighted last year, all in all valued at Php 17 million. Additional convention venues such as the 15,000-seating-capacity SM Bay City Arena and the 200-hectare ASEANA Business Park, both in Manila, are in the pipeline.Meanwhile, the DOT will look to public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives in developing airports servicing key destinations such as Boracay (via Kalibo) and Cebu. These are to complement expected increases in the number of hotel and resort rooms there, with several projects scheduled for completion by 2013.An additional policy thrust in 2011 will be air liberalization, with the extension of a pocket skies agreement to secondary destinations awaiting an executive order.

A new National Tourism Development Plan to detail strategies in tourism investment, access, product development and promotion, among others, is expected to roll out by May this year. The plan, which covers the years 2011-2016, will serveas a strategic framework for national and local initiatives in tourism, and follows the previous 20-year tourism master plan for 1991-2010.“We expect the new plan, particularly its infrastructure, investment andmarketing components, to aid us in repositioning the Philippines as a preferred MICE destination,” said the Secretary.

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CONTACT: EVELYN A. MACAYAYONG

Office of Tourism Information

(0632) 525-18-05eamacayayong@tourism.gov.ph