A top official of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts has signified its readiness to host the upcoming ASEAN Summit and ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Cebu, as its Mactan Expo, a two-level standalone convention center inside the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown, is already 90 percent complete and on track to open its doors later this year.

In preparation for hosting these top-notch events, officials and delegates from the different MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) organizations in the ASEAN region, led by Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, visited and toured Mactan Expo to see Cebu’s celebrated convention center up close for the first time.

“Cebu is ready to be a contender for the next wave of MICE tourism in Southeast Asia. With world-class facilities combined with warm Filipino hospitality, we are humbled and poised to welcome the world. The Mactan Expo will be a game-changer, not only for Cebu, but for Philippine tourism, more importantly,” said Cleofe Albiso, managing director, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, who also serves as the chairperson of the Cebu Tourism Forum.

According to the property giant, Mactan Expo is set to become a premier hub for MICE events as it offers nearly a full hectare of versatile event space.

At the ground level is a state-of-the-art convention hall, purpose-built to host up to 2,500 guests in a theater-style setup or 1,600 attendees in an elegant banquet arrangement.

Designed with adaptability in mind, the hall can seamlessly transform into three individual spaces, each capable of hosting around 700-900 guests in a theater layout or 500-600 individuals in a banquet configuration — ideal for conferences, galas, and exhibitions of every scale.

The main convention hall features an expansive foyer and pre-function areas, designed to impress and welcome guests with elegance. The ground floor will also feature dual drop-off points for seamless access, a service kitchen to support large-scale banquets, cafés for informal gatherings, and a dedicated event showroom where clients can explore immersive sample set-ups and bespoke arrangements.

On the mezzanine level, two meeting rooms offer the perfect setting for more intimate events. Each can host up to 150 guests in a theater-style layout or 100 in a banquet format, and the rooms can be seamlessly combined to form a larger, unified venue.

This level also includes its own pre-function space, an open-air balcony for relaxed networking, and ample storage for event support and logistics.

With its minimalist design that illuminates at night, the Mactan Expo’s façade will be complemented by locally sourced interiors inspired by Cebu’s local culture, festivals, arts, flavors, nature scenes and icons.

Strategically located just across Mactan Expo are two premier hotel properties that are already fully operational under Megaworld Hotels & Resorts — the Philippines’ largest developer of 100 percent Filipino homegrown hotel brands.

These are Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown and Belmont Hotel Mactan, which provide nearly 1,100 rooms combined.

Upon the Mactan Expo’s completion, Belmont Hotel Mactan’s transformation is also set to happen as it will be rebranded as Mercure Mactan Cebu under a landmark partnership with global hospitality giant Accor.

The move will usher in the first internationally branded hotel inside The Mactan Newtown, elevating the township’s global profile and hospitality offerings.