As big as Metro Manila’s? The upcoming SMX Seaside Cebu and SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions are each expected to include 18,000sqm of exhibition area.
Long known for its leisure appeal and gateway role in the central Philippines, Cebu has, almost in the blink of an eye, become a convention centre magnet, with each new facility seemingly bigger than the last.
Mactan Expo opened its doors around the turn of the year, in time to host the ASEAN Tourism Forum in January.
Marking Philippine property giant Megaworld’s first foray into convention centres, Mactan Expo brings online three 2,500sqm event halls.
Barely a month after the launch, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp (SMHCC) announced the upcoming SMX Seaside Cebu, scheduled to open in Q4 2026.
The venue will offer 18,000sqm of exhibition space within the broader Cebu South Coast City development, which integrates retail, hospitality and lifestyle offerings.
The development of larger-scale venues in Cebu may be a harbinger of MICE readiness. While standalone convention centres have sprouted up in the destination over the last decade, they have been much smaller in scale.
Another host of ATF-related events, NUSTAR Convention Center, opened its doors within NUSTAR Resort and Casino in 2023, adding several ballrooms and meeting spaces totalling around 2,449sqm. The IEC Convention Center of Cebu (IC3) was launched in 2016, converted from the former IEC Pavilion near Parkmall in Mandaue. Operated by Duros Land, the venue was also on the small side for a convention centre, with around 3,374sqm of event space.
Meanwhile, besides its new Cebu project, SMHCC is also developing the SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions (SMXCITE), slated for completion in 2027. SMXCITE will house 18,000sqm of exhibition space within a 35,000sqm integrated development area.
SMHCC has indicated plans to operate 10 venues nationwide by 2027.