Gov't promotes Central, North PH as MICE destination

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) is planning to turn Central and Northern Luzon as a premiere meetings, incentive travel, conventions and event (MICE) destination.The SunStar reports that the government bodies have entered an agreement to jointly promote MICE venues found north of the Philippines starting with the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone.Home to the Clark International Airport and is easily accessible via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), TPB COO Domingo Ramon Enerio said that the area will soon be a bustling hub for domestic and international events.“The promotional campaign is envisioned to create the demand for increased investments in MICE facilities and other support infrastructure -- from Clark to other MICE hubs like Subic and Baguio and spreading to the rest of Northern Luzon,” he said.The partnership also includes holding the first two-day MICE Conference (MICECON) 2014 at the Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks in Clark on June 4 to 7.The CDC will be tasked to form a committee to support TPB staff for onsite activities, which includes the design and execution of the promo campaign for MICECON’s pre-, proper and post-event activities.Included in the conference is MICE Mart, a one-day exhibit for foreign buyers and local sellers, and the MICE Marketplace, a four-day exhibit of the domestic industry players.With the theme MICE in 4D (Driving Passions, Developing Minds, Defying Limits, Designing the Future), MICECON 2014 will bring in around 40 select MICE buyers from Australia, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and Russia.The other MICECON 2014 organizers are the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Exhibitions/Events Philippines Inc. (MITE Philippines) and the Philippine Association of Convention and Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS).