But hotel executives say although they are hosting more meetings nowadays the local MICE market is unreliable as organisers keep hotels guessing until the last minute.
"They (meeting and convention organisers) often confirm their plans at the last minute. It's really difficult," says Sulo Hotel head of sales and marketing Gladys Guevara.
Despite such difficulties the 68-room standard hotel has become a favourite meeting venue of members of congress. "We are hosting more meetings, especially from government," says Guevara.
MICE business has been so good this year to The Peninsula Manila that management drew up a sales programme to corner more of this market niche.
Group business and conference manager Marco Protacio says the market niche drew the Peninsula's attention after an increase in the number of meetings and conventions booking space at the hotel.
"It's increasing significantly ... probably in a range of 15 to 25 per cent in the first half of the year," Protacio says.
But at the 615-room deluxe Edsa Plaza Hotel business is only so-so. "Meetings are up 30 per cent, but conventions are 20 per cent lower," says meeting services director Annette Ocampo.
Hotels are offering flexible discounts to attract more meetings and conventions.
The Manila Peninsula, for instance, has a "privilege meeting package," for P890 per person.
The package includes a lunch, two coffee breaks, free use of audio visual equipment and function rooms and complimentary name tags, pads and pencils.
For stay-in participants room rates range from US$95 to US$150 a night, considerably less than the rack rate of US$295. The discount includes breakfast and applies to groups of 10 or more.
The Sulo Hotel also has a MICE promo package, but the discount rates depend on room availability. Prices range from P500 for a day meeting participant to P2,000 for those staying overnight.
Manila has hosted a number of large international groups this year, including the informal ASEAN summit, the Asian Development Bank's annual conference in April and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council meeting, held in October.