Iloilo city: Iloilo City’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Center has unveiled its SPROUT Lab program, which advocates for green tourism in support of the local government’s sustainability campaign. SPROUT, or Sustainable Practices and Responsible Operations of Unique Tourism, aims to support the “Green Meets Great” campaign, which was launched in 2024, to position Iloilo City as the country’s first green MICE destination.
According to Philippines News Agency, MICE Center Director Maria Lea Victoria Lara emphasized the importance of balancing tourism benefits with environmental impacts. “We have positioned the MICE Center to advocate for green gatherings. As we know, large tourism, while it’s good for our economy, contributes a lot of waste as well, and has an impact on the environment. We want to do our own balance of activities,” Lara stated in an interview.
Lara highlighted the significance of raising awareness among guests and visitors about local ordinances and sustainability initiatives. “Encouraging active participation and support from tourists will help reinforce Iloilo’s commitment to eco-conscious development and responsible tourism,” she said. The SPROUT Lab intends to conduct seminars and training sessions to promote sustainable practices among stakeholders and encourage broader participation in green initiatives.
The program targets various sectors, including hotels, restaurants, resorts, coffee shops, travel and tour operators, event organizers, event venues, transport groups, academe, and media. Lara mentioned the plan to incentivize local stakeholders through the Iloilo City MICE Awards, recognizing best practices in sustainability. “We will capacitate them first to ensure that they comply, and then we will have that recognition program. We want to be on track in making sure that establishments, the people, and the events are of the standard,” Lara added.
Lara also noted the intention to align their initiatives with the MICE Standard developed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. The SPROUT Lab was unveiled on Sept. 25 during the second MICE conference, which focused on infrastructure development and allied tourism services.