Iloilo Trio Expo returns with 400+ exhibitors this July

By Aiya Cantomayor and Estrella Roja Urquiola

More than 400 exhibitors from the Philippines and three other countries are expected to join the fourth Iloilo Trio Expo, a four-day trade event organized to generate business opportunities and strengthen Iloilo City’s position as a regional hub for the construction, tourism, and food industries.

The expo, organized by Worldbex Services International (WSI), will be held at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON) from July 9 to 12.

Twenty exhibitors will come from Japan, South Korea, and China.

About 80% of participating exhibitors are from Metro Manila and other regions across the Philippines.

The event combines three major exhibitions, the Philippine Building and Construction Expo (Philbex), the Travel and Leisure Expo (Tlex), and the Manila Food and Beverage Expo (Mafbex), into a single platform for businesses, suppliers, investors, and industry professionals.

Organizers said the expo aims to strengthen Iloilo City’s construction, tourism, and food and beverage sectors through networking, business matching, product promotion, and knowledge-sharing activities, including industry talks and competitions.

“It’s a one-stop shop, meaning you have Wilcon Depot there, you have Boysen there, plus Citi Hardware there, and Ace Hardware is also there. Plus, you have experts also,” said WSI marketing head Leo Salonga.

Salonga said admission is free and organizers expect at least 20,000 visitors, making the event one of Western Visayas’ largest trade exhibitions.

He said the expo is also expected to boost the local tourism industry through increased visitor spending while showcasing Iloilo City’s growing reputation as a center for business, design, and innovation.

Among this year’s highlights is an inter-school tour guiding competition involving at least six schools to help prepare students for careers in the tourism industry.

Additional activities include food and beverage competitions, a table-setting competition, a cake decorating competition, a latte art throwdown, and a design competition for architecture students.

Maria Lea Victoria Lara, director of the Iloilo City Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) Center, said the event is designed to help local entrepreneurs and businesses build networks with international exhibitors and suppliers without traveling abroad.

“This is really a platform for them to do business-to-business. They are able to benchmark against international brands as well, and they are able to get suppliers from local restaurants and packaging here without really flying elsewhere,” she said.

Lara said Iloilo City continues to attract large-scale exhibitions because of its strategic location, improving business environment, and growing MICE industry.

She added that the city government is pursuing investments to expand convention facilities to accommodate the increasing demand for major national and international events.

The Iloilo Trio Expo is returning for its fourth year, having first been held in the city in 2023 in recognition of Iloilo’s growing potential as a MICE destination.

Last year’s edition, called the Iloilo Trio Show, ran July 17 to 20, 2025, at ICON and drew the participation of Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas and Department of Tourism-Western Visayas Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez, who both cited the expo’s role in strengthening the region’s profile as a tourism and MICE destination, according to a Daily Guardian report.