Biz sector, stakeholders hope for revival of city’s MICE industry

After the huge setback caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the meeting, incentives, conventions, events (MICE) industry worldwide, stakeholders and the local business sector remain hopeful that the promising industry in Iloilo City will soon bounce back.

According to Salvador Sarabia Jr., director of the Iloilo City MICE Center, a window of opportunity awaits the MICE industry in the metro amid the city’s aggressive stance particularly in the vaccination roll-out.

“We do not know how far the Covid will go in the future, but we have seen the window of opportunity and the light of hope because of vaccines and because of the aggressive stance of Iloilo City. We are hopeful that we will bounce back,” Sarabia said in an interview after the Needs Assessment Workshop organized by the MICE Center last Oct 28-29, 2021.

Strict quarantine levels in Iloilo City caused drastic impacts to the city’s MICE industry, Lea Lara executive director of Iloilo Business Club reported in her presentation.

Early January of 2021, the city was placed under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) which limited the MICE activities and operations of hotels up to 50%.

However, MICE venues were completely shut down by May 2021, including tourist attractions, entertainment, and recreation, as the city was placed under a stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

Restaurants were also limited to up to 20% seating capacity.

The MECQ status continued until the city was eventually placed to the strictest quarantine measure, Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in August 2021.

The restrictions together with the imposition of travel restrictions, liquor bans, granular lockdowns, and other measures affected the MICE industry which was already hurting since last year.

In 2020, Sarabia reported that the city was expecting around 120,000 to 150,000 MICE attendees if not for the pandemic.

Now a year after, stakeholders are hopeful that the MICE industry can bounce back as the city is gradually easing restrictions and cases continue to decrease.

Based on the data from the Iloilo City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (CESU), the daily average cases in October have been down by 71%, as of October 29.

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated individuals in Iloilo City totaled 309,204, which represents 59% of the city’s target population for the inoculation.

To ramp up the MICE industry, almost 50 participants representing the local business sector and stakeholders convened in the two-day workshop organized by the MICE Center.

The workshop aims to craft up plans and a roadmap for the recovery of the MICE industry with a long-term objective of making Iloilo a prime MICE destination.

“It is the reinstatement of MICE. Ang needs naton two years ago is so different today. We crafted a plan two years ago and most of us agree na indi na ina implementable. This workshop went back to stakeholders and help craft the new MICE workplan and roadmap,” Sarabia said.

He also pointed out the need to incorporate the health and safety of the stakeholders and visitors in Iloilo City.

Meanwhile, Lara suggested new strategies like making packages for lock-in tapings, family events such as graduation and celebrations and other doable packages where attendees can stay in their rooms or hotel establishments.

She also highlighted the possibility of transforming spaces of MICE venues and making it more workable and relevant for the attendees.

“We all have to think and behave like a start-up. We can do a lot of activities because it’s MICE then with our vaccination, safety seals, amenities, and transportation, then we can assure the guests or attendees their safety,” she said. (ERS)