DOT to hold 2023’s largest travel convention in Davao

by Jun Marcos Tadios

The Department of Tourism’s (DOT) marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), has forged an agreement with the local government unit (LGU) of Davao City to stage there the largest travel convention and exhibitions next year.

Photo: Department of Tourism

The TPB and the Davao City LGU on Thursday, Dec. 22, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Davaoeños’ hosting of the 2023 Philippine Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions or M.I.C.E. Conference (MICECON). 

“We strongly believe and claim that Davao’s hosting of the MICECON will provide a tremendous boost to the city’s tourism industry and a huge step towards its vision of making Davao a preferred MICE destination not only in the Philippines but in Asia,” TPB chief operating officer (COO) Maria Margarita Montemayor-Nograles said.

Nograles said the TPB was “extremely excited” to the support of Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte to their initiative.

Nograles lauded Duterte’s support to MICE tourism which, she said, could benefit not only the local tourism industry in Davao as the host city but also the Philippines’ economic resurgence amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

For its part, the City Government of Davao expressed full support and cooperation for the successful staging of the MICECON which is scheduled on March 1-3, 2023.

ADVERTISEMENT

MICECON is the largest gathering of Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions or M.I.C.E. professionals in the country.

It has become a reliable event for MICE stakeholders which prides itself on having incentivized event components to benchmark on and opportunities for networking with both international and local MICE experts.

The 2023 edition of MICECON is expected to gather a total of 500 in-person delegates in Davao including virtual delegates from the tourism industry.

“The City of Davao would like to extend our most heartfelt gratitude for choosing Davao City to host MICECON 2023. Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Events are a great help to the tourism industry here in Davao. We believe that MICECON will help to revitalize Davao’s tourism sector and open more doors for business that will boost the whole region’s economic growth,” said Davao City Vice Mayor Jay Melchor B. Quitain Jr.