Melo Villareal
The Philippines’ business events industry is having a strong year, and the latest numbers from SMX Convention Centers point to growing demand for conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, and corporate gatherings across the country.
Artist’s perspective of SMXCITE, set to open in early 2027 as the Philippines’ largest international exhibition venue.
SMX Convention Centers, the conferences and exhibitions arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), welcomed 4.3 million visitors during the first half of 2026, an 18% increase from the 3.6 million visitors recorded during the same period in 2025.
The growth comes as business travel and MICE tourism—covering meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions—continue to play an increasingly important role in the Philippine travel landscape.
For travelers, the rise in business events also creates new opportunities to discover Philippine destinations, particularly as major convention venues are located within or close to hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, entertainment facilities, and transportation hubs.
SMX Welcomes 4.3 Million Visitors in Six Months
During the first half of 2026, SMX Convention Centers hosted 807 booked events nationwide, bringing millions of visitors to its network of venues.
SMX Convention Center Manila accounted for the largest share of visitor traffic, welcoming more than 2.5 million visitors during the six-month period.
The regional convention centers also recorded healthy growth. Among them were SMX Convention Center Davao, SMX Convention Center Bacolod, and SMX Convention Center Clark, reflecting the growing importance of regional cities in the country’s business events industry.
The trend is particularly significant for business travelers who are increasingly combining work with leisure. Instead of flying in for an event and leaving immediately afterward, conference attendees and exhibitors can take advantage of the growing tourism infrastructure surrounding these convention destinations.
From exploring Clark after a trade show to extending a business trip in Cebu, Davao, or Bacolod, the country’s expanding MICE sector is creating more opportunities for bleisure travel.
Major Events Bring Travelers Together
The first half of 2026 saw SMX venues host a wide range of major events covering business, travel, design, lifestyle, retail, and entrepreneurship.
Among the events held during the period were WORLDBEX 2026, International Travel Expo, Philippine Pet Expo 2026, ALT Philippines, Interior Design Manila, BeautyCon 2026, and the Franchise Asia Philippines International Franchise Expo.
Events such as these attract more than exhibitors and industry professionals. They also bring in consumers, entrepreneurs, creatives, travelers, hobbyists, and international participants.
For destinations hosting large-scale events, this can translate into increased demand for hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping, and local attractions.
This is one reason MICE tourism has become an important component of destination development. A successful convention can bring thousands of visitors into a city, many of whom spend on accommodation, dining, transportation, shopping, and leisure activities beyond the event itself.
Why Location Matters for Business Travelers
According to SMHCC Executive Vice President Peggy E. Angeles, one of SMX’s advantages is the location of its venues within SM Prime’s larger mixed-use developments.
“Our locations within SM Prime’s larger mixed-use developments give event organizers and attendees direct access to dining, accommodation and transportation options, making events more convenient and attractive,” Angeles said.
For travelers, convenience can make a major difference.
Instead of spending valuable time navigating between a convention venue, hotel, restaurants, and entertainment areas, visitors can often find many of these essentials within the same development or nearby.
This is particularly useful for international delegates attending multi-day conferences. A centrally located hotel means less commuting, while nearby restaurants and retail destinations provide convenient options during breaks or after an event.
It also makes it easier for business travelers to add leisure experiences to their itinerary.
Cebu Set to Get the Philippines’ Largest Convention Center
SMX is preparing for another major expansion, with SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Once completed, the Cebu venue is expected to become the largest convention center in the Philippines, further strengthening Cebu’s position as a major MICE and tourism destination in the Visayas.
The convention center will be located beside the newly launched SM Arena Seaside Cebu and connected to SM Seaside City Cebu through a link bridge.
The development will create an integrated destination combining conventions, entertainment, shopping, dining, and leisure.
For business travelers visiting Cebu, this means the traditional convention experience can easily extend into a wider city getaway. Visitors can attend an event during the day and explore Cebu’s food scene, shopping destinations, cultural attractions, and nearby resorts and beaches before or after their business commitments.
The expansion also has the potential to bring more international and regional events to Cebu, creating additional opportunities for hotels, restaurants, tourism operators, and other businesses.
New Convention Venue Coming to Pasay
Metro Manila is also set to gain additional MICE capacity with SMXCITE in Pasay City, which is slated to open in early 2027.
The planned 18,000-square-meter facility has already begun booking discussions with event organizers. It will feature approximately 900 parking spaces and direct access to SM Mall of Asia through an elevated walkway.
Its location could be particularly appealing to international visitors.
SMXCITE will be close to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, making airport transfers more convenient for overseas delegates. The surrounding Mall of Asia area also offers a wide range of hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, shopping destinations, and other attractions.
For visitors with limited free time, this creates an ideal setup for combining a conference with a short Manila stay.
Strengthening the Philippines as a MICE Destination
With the planned additions in Cebu and Pasay, SMX Convention Centers will expand its network to seven convention centers and six trade halls across the Philippines.
The combined portfolio will offer more than 90,000 square meters of leasable space, giving event organizers greater options for conferences, exhibitions, conventions, trade shows, and large-scale gatherings.
“Our strong first-half performance supports our ongoing expansion. We are excited to add new capacity in Cebu and Metro Manila,” Angeles said.
The continued expansion of convention infrastructure also reflects the changing role of business travel in the Philippines. Today’s business traveler is not necessarily looking only for a functional meeting venue. Accessibility, accommodation, dining, entertainment, shopping, and opportunities to experience the destination are increasingly part of the overall travel experience.
As SMX expands its presence across Manila, Cebu, Clark, Davao, and Bacolod, the country’s MICE landscape is becoming more connected to the broader tourism industry.
For travelers, that means more reasons to turn a business trip into a genuine Philippine experience—whether it’s extending a conference stay in Cebu, discovering Clark after an exhibition, enjoying Davao’s food scene, exploring Bacolod’s heritage, or making the most of a few extra days in Manila.
With visitor numbers already showing strong growth in the first half of 2026 and more convention capacity on the way, the Philippines’ business events sector looks set to become an even bigger part of the country’s travel story.
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