MANILA, Philippines ? The city of Puerto Princesa in Palawan is now a hub of world-class programs and facilities for the meetings, incentives conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market, according to Francis Patrick Favoreal, vice president of Legend Hotels International Corporation (LHIC).

LHIC has spearheaded the city?s MICE industry boom with the construction of The Legend Palawan Convention Center, the first thematic convention center in the island province.

Favoreal said that The Legend Palawan (TLP) provides packaged tours for delegates, which allows them to spend quality leisure time to explore the Subterranean River National Park, Honda Bay Islands, or get closer to nature with dolphin watching and river cruises.

?We try to accommodate a flexible schedule for both leisure and business requirements with innovative programs such as night seminars and half-day island tours,? Favoreal said. ?By integrating our specialized PaX tours, we ensure that participants enjoy the breathtaking natural wonders while accomplishing their business agenda.?

As part of its ?unconventional conventions,? the hotel also offers themed meetings, outdoor teambuilding activities, and an in-house tour agent that provides hassle-free and personalized services.

At least one major business convention and up to five smaller corporate events are held each year at the hotel. These include corporate teambuilding exercises, conferences, and trade fairs. ?In terms of our hotel room occupancy, MICE meetings contribute about 20%. That?s quite a large rate for our type of hotel property,? Favoreal said.

The TLP Convention Center has a total floor area of 935 square meters and can accommodate over 1,100 guests in a theatre-type setting, and 650 guests in a banquet setting. The main hall can be divided into three individual halls. Apart from its convention center, the hotel also has eight function halls named after Palawan?s key municipalities and historic sights and can accommodate from 20 to 110 people.

Figures by the City Tourism Office showed a total of 154,387 local visitor arrivals, up by 18.4% the previous year. The city also welcomed 21,960 foreign travelers, an increase of 23.96% from 2007.