MEGAWORLD Corp. on Wednesday announced the opening of its first stand-alone convention center, the Mactan Expo, marking its entry into the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) business.
In a disclosure, the company said the P1.5-billion facility, located at the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, was set to host major events beginning with the Asean Travel Exchange from Jan. 28 to 30.
Designed to showcase Cebuano culture and identity, Mactan Expo features a pillarless main hall for large-scale events, sculptural wall installations adorned with seashells, a foyer that evokes images of the island’s coastline and a lobby spotlighting commissioned works by local artists. The venue also has a VIP lounge, Muslim-friendly prayer rooms and an integrated showroom for its conference spaces, each named after famous Cebu beaches. The company also said that Mactan Expo’s intuitive layout and ample parking were designed to enhance efficiency and ease of navigation for visitors. To lead its MICE operations, Megaworld appointed Louella Caridad, previously the chief operating officer of World Trade Center Metro Manila. Megaworld said Caridad would bring over 20 years of professional experience in retail and real estate operations, energy solutions and property management. As head of Megaworld’s MICE business, she will oversee the development, management and operations of convention and exhibition facilities across the country. “One of Megaworld’s opening salvos in nation-building was the expansion of our hotels, and now we are entering the MICE business with the main goal of providing essential developments and world-class convention facilities,” Megaworld President and CEO Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso said. “After Cebu, we will explore other key growth areas to expand this business as we aim to attract more international conventions and events, just like the Asean Summit, which will become a landmark hosting for Megaworld’s first-ever convention center,” she added. The company plans to leverage its existing hotel network to provide fully integrated event services. Megaworld currently operates 14 hotel properties with a total of approximately 6,500 rooms nationwide, making it the country’s largest hotel developer and operator. The company said it intended to expand its MICE business to other townships in key tourism areas over the next five to 10 years. Megaworld shares gained P0.05, or 2.33 percent, to close at P2.20 each on Wednesday.
