The Living Heritage Museum Tour, spearheaded by the Iloilo City MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Alliance, is set to commence on May 8 to further strengthen the promotion of cultural heritage, tourism and historical preservation in this city.

The tour will cover 10 heritage sites in the city, including the Loreto Ledesma Ancestral House; Casa Mariquit; Avanceña-Camiña Balay na Bato; Rosendo Mejica House; Museum of the Philippine Economic History-National Historical Commission of the Philippines; Lizares Mansion; National Museum of the Philippines Western Visayas-Iloilo City Jail; Nelly Garden; Museum of Philippine Maritime History; and Casa de España.

A memorandum of agreement between the Iloilo City government, the MICE Alliance, and representatives of the target destinations will be signed to formally launch the program.

Mayor Raisa Treñas, who will be signing the agreement for the Iloilo City government, said in a media interview on Wednesday that the initiative will have an impact on the local tourism, especially since some of the participants will open their houses to guests for the first time.

“As an Ilonggo, you will be interested because this is something new. For tourists, this is something to do in Iloilo, something Iloilo has to offer, something different,” she said.

In its Facebook page, the Iloilo City MICE Alliance is inviting tourists to be part of the Spanish Era Tour on May 8-10, an experiential journey that vividly brings the rich Ilonggo culture to life.

The tour comes in three packages, which already include souvenir kits, house and rolling tours, themed photoshoot, themed buffet, era-specific music and interactive performance.

Meanwhile, the Iloilo MICE Alliance is spearheading the bid for Iloilo City to host the Philippine MICE Conference (MICECON) 2027.

In a report, the city government said Iloilo City has “steadily built its reputation as a convention hub.”

In addition to successfully hosting ASEAN meetings and other international and national events, Iloilo City also regularly stages large-scale cultural and tourism events such as the Dinagyang Festival, which highlights its organizational capacity, hospitality infrastructure, and ability to welcome thousands of delegates, the report said.

The bid is supported by the provincial government of Iloilo, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo Chapter and the Iloilo Association of Accredited Travel and Tour Operators.

“This aligns with our desire to establish Iloilo as a leading MICE destination,” Lea Lara, Director of the Iloilo City MICE Center, said.

Other destinations joining the bid are Cebu and Boracay. (PNA)