Tourism: We have to do more

Recently, the US dollar was on the rise again against our peso.  So, depending on which side of the political divide someone belongs, he or she will always have something to say. The fact though is that, as the USA continuously improves its economy, the dollar goes with it. As it gets stronger, expects that hot moneys placed in different parts of the world (the Philippines included) shifts to the US dollar being the world’s safest currency. So that, in the Philippines, in particular, as hundreds of millions of US dollars move out, it shall get stronger against our peso.

Absolutely, exporters, BPOs and OFWs will rejoice in such appreciation. Likewise, to some foreigners awash with US dollars, we shall become an inexpensive destination. Therefore, tourism may be able to cash in, in this respect.

Expect, therefore, an influx of foreign tourists in the island the whole week as Cebu City ushers in the mother of all festivals, the Sinulog. A week-long celebration that attracts not only performers from all over the country but domestic tourists as well. Undeniably, businesses in Cebu will have a windfall. Sadly, unlike other countries which are cashing in throughout the year, in us, we only experience it for a week. Therefore, we have to do more.

So that, we must understand tourism in its entirety. In terms of number or purpose, we can classify tourism as group tourism or personal tourism. Personal tourism is so common to us.  We see families, honeymooners and friends coming in for leisure, entertainment, festivals (like, Sinulog), etc. Group tourism is what the meetings industry players generally call MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and as MEEC (Meetings, Expositions, Events and Conventions) in the United States of America.

In MICE or MEEC, groups come in huge numbers for purposes of attending conferences, conventions, expositions or exhibits whether religious, economic, professional, environmental, medical or scientific in nature. A typical example was the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, which Cebu hosted several years ago.

Notably, then Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Melanie Ng emphasized that “aside from showcasing the attraction of the province as destination in heritage, beaches and shopping, it will also support hotels to improve its foothold in MICE (meetings, incentive, conference and exhibitions).” In this respect, she (CCCI then President Ng) hit the nail right on the head.

Truth to tell, several countries are taking MICE very seriously. The reason is very obvious. Its economic value is lucrative and huge for the host city. Among others, economic benefits range from foreign exchange generation to job creation. It also offers business opportunities that usually lead to the development and upgrade of national and regional infrastructure.

In the 2024 (the latest information available in number of meetings) statistics released by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), there were “over 11,000 international association meetings during the year. The United States remained the top country and Vienna, Austria, became the leading city globally (154 meetings).” Moreover, the report “highlighted the increased diversity, Latin America and the Middle East showing strong growth, and Asia's growing competitiveness, with data segmented by region, size, and sector for deeper insights into industry transformation.”

According to ICCA, “the popularity of countries as MICE destinations depends on a wide range of factors, not only connected to the countries themselves and their situation, but also to the type of meeting and how well it relates to the environment of choice”. Thus, logically, we have been chosen as host of the 51st IEC because we are predominantly a catholic country. Other factors “include the current social, political and economic situation of a country, its safety and its accessibility from abroad”.

With an award-winning international airport terminal in our midst, we shall become very accessible from abroad. That can be a big factor. However, what is appalling is, when we are hosting big events like the IEC, for instance, other economic activities had to be either slowed down or stopped (like truck bans). It is not because of our being host per se, but because such hosting will further worsen Metro Cebu’s traffic congestion.

So that, if we should try to make Cebu one of the most preferred destinations for MICE, efforts should not be limited on structure improvements and facelifts alone. It is about time that our authorities shall put their acts together in solving our traffic woes.