With the opportunities, learning, and linkages that participants have taken out and the exposition of intellects and ideas of the well-known professional experts that enlightened the students on the topics of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions), Hospitality, and Tourism, a press release from VMA proclaimed the MICECON 2023 Convention a success.
VMA Global College of Hospitality and Business Management faculty and students hosted MICECON 2023 at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on May 31 to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information, further knowledge of the current trends and issues in the hospitality industry, strong connections to professional experts and maximize opportunities for development and advancement.
Atty. Juan Orola Jr., chairman of the Board of Trustees of VMA Global College, welcomed the participants and welcomed the guest speakers who gave insights and presented the new landscape for MICE: Chef Paul Benjamin Abal Jr. – Culinary Instructor of American International Culinary and Hospitality Institute; Nelson Judaya – City Head of Lalamove Philippines; Aaron Edward Santa Rosa – Duty Manager of Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa; Arch. Chris Paolo Tiongco – Architect, TV host; Kristopher Leo Velete – Tourism Officer II under the Tourism Regulation Division of the Department of Tourism Region VI.
Chairman of the Board and the vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Johanna Salabas-Vargas, complimented the efforts of Andrei Puller, CHBM adviser, his students, and fellow advisers, led by Edwin Benitez, Dean of CHBM, for the successful event.
Reminiscing the past fourteen years, Orola said, “There is nothing to see in Negros as people would say, Negros Occidental would not be attractive by then, until the campaign for this event began, when I was promoting Negros as the Tourism Attaché for Japan including Korea, until I was appointed tourism attaché and director for North America and Latin America based in Los Angeles, and until charter flights between Japan and Cebu started, with the prominent people who helped me.”
“I am happy to see that our efforts many years ago are bearing fruit, and now as the chairman of the Board of VMA Global College, I am committed to continue creating new programs for MICE Tourism in a competitive way and see to it that MICE is fully understood to everyone,” he said.
Orola further articulated that MICE in Negros constituted four pillars: meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions that foster connections and promote new ideas and experiences for growth and development in Tourism Industry.
Dr. Johanna Vargas, VPAA, thanked the invited experts who shared their insights and strategies to inspire CHBM students.
“Because of this, ideas were born, dreams cultivated, and innovation highlighted with the belief that this event will bring more aspiring students who would dare to dream with our hospitality and tourism program,” Vargas concluded.
The series of presentations on MICE and Tourism covered the following topics: Culinary Arts and Practices: Post Pandemic; Current Trends and issues in the Tourism Industry; Delivering the Best Customer Experience Through Effective Communication; Personality Development as Applied to Hospitality Industry; and Hospitality and Tourism Marketing Strategies in the New Normal.*
