The business events sector in Iloilo takes a leap forward today with the opening of the business events-focused Belmont Hotel Iloilo.
Set to become the largest hotel in the province with 405 keys, the property is located within the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park and adjacent to the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON) – a strategic positioning expected to attract larger and more diverse events.
Alonto pointed out that Belmont Hotel Iloilo’s synergy with ICON provides crucial hospitality infrastructure, while expanding the business park’s room inventory beyond its two existing properties: Courtyard by Marriott and Richmonde Hotel (the latter also managed by Megaworld Hotels and Resorts).
“We are targeting corporate and government meetings, as well as delegates from Canada, the US, and Australia,” the hotel’s general manager, Joy Alonto, said. The hotel is also pursuing halal and Muslim-friendly accreditations to tap into markets across Asia, India, and the Middle East, supported closely by the local Muslim community.
The four-star property occupies a mid-market positioning. Rooms range from 25m² to 48m², and the Northern Island Ballroom can accommodate up to 300 guests in a banquet setting, or be divided into four separate function spaces. Amenities include three F&B outlets, a covered dipping pool, a gym, and a massage facility.
Meanwhile, the city’s rise is backed by long-term alignment between the public and private sectors. Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez, director of the Department of Tourism (DoT) Region 6, credited years of collaboration between local government, national tourism bodies, and private stakeholders for establishing Iloilo as an experiential tourist haven.
Key initiatives include the DoT’s Philippine Experience Program – which twins Iloilo Province with Negros Occidental – alongside ongoing infrastructure improvements boosted by recent TIEZA funding for heritage restoration and active destination marketing by the city mayor’s MICE Tourism office.
Additionally, the public-private Iloilo MICE Alliance, initiated by Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ managing director Cleofe Albiso, continues to drive the destination forward with incentives for organisers.
“Iloilo, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, is emerging as a true business events hub because it offers a safe environment, thoughtful urban planning, and a rich heritage,” Alonto added.
