Bacolod hotel alliance to boost city’s status as MICE destination

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Hotels and resorts in the highly-urbanised Central Philippine city of Bacolod recently formed an alliance to help strengthen its position as one of the country’s leading destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

According to city chief tourism operations officer Maria Teresa Manalili, the formation of the Bacolod Hotel Alliance signifies a milestone in the city’s mission to build a more unified and dynamic tourism sector.

In a statement released on Friday, 2nd May, Manalili declared: “By strengthening partnerships among accommodation establishments and fostering collaboration across all sectors, we are laying the groundwork for a strong MICE alliance that will position Bacolod as a top destination for business and leisure,” she said in a statement on Friday.

Manalili added that uniting the hotels and resorts would strengthen the hotel and tourism industry and enhance coordination in preparation for the city’s expanding tourism initiatives, particularly in the MICE sector.

The recently elected officers of the Bacolod Hotel Alliance are Sherwin Lucas (Park Inn by Radisson), president; John Victor Go (Roy’s Hotel and Convention Center), vice president; Catherine Gonzalez (Acacia Hotel), secretary; Kim Joseph Guimba (Seda Capitol Central), treasurer; Allen Jimenez (Citadines Bacolod), Regina Guanco (Sugarland Hotel), and Teena Locsin-Javellana (L’Fisher Hotel), board members.

A city with great potential for MICE

Data from the Bacolod City Tourism Office showed there are at least 26 hotels and eight resorts in the city, and along with 48 Mabuhay accommodations, have a total of 3,859 available rooms.

Mabuhay accommodations include tourist inns, pension houses, motels, bed and breakfasts, vacation homes, hostels, guest houses, and similar establishments.

Manalili said: “We will convene the Mabuhay accommodations group next to foster camaraderie, collaboration, and eventually form their own alliance.”

She pointed out that overnight tourist arrivals in the city rose steadily over the past three years, recovering from the pandemic lows in 2020 and 2021.

In 2024, Bacolod recorded a 6.72 percent increase in overnight tourist arrivals, accommodating 833,345 travelers compared to only 780,916 in 2023. 

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