SMX venues welcomed 4.3 million visitors during the six-month period, up from 3.6 million a year earlier, as the conferences and exhibitions business hosted 807 booked events nationwide.
SMX Convention Center Manila led the portfolio with more than 2.5 million visitors, while regional venues in Davao, Bacolod and Clark also recorded growth in foot traffic.
“Our locations within SM Prime's larger mixed-use developments give event organizers and attendees direct access to dining, accommodation and transportation options, making events more convenient and attractive,” SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. executive vice president Peggy E. Angeles said.
What drove traffic
Major events hosted during the period included WORLDBEX 2026, International Travel Expo, Philippine Pet Expo 2026, ALT Philippines, Interior Design Manila, BeautyCon 2026 and Franchise Asia Philippines International Franchise Expo.
The performance comes as SMX prepares to increase its capacity amid continued demand for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
“Our strong first-half performance supports our ongoing expansion. We are excited to add new capacity in Cebu and Metro Manila,” Angeles said.
Expanding footprint
SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026 and is set to become the country’s largest convention center.
The facility will sit beside SM Arena Seaside Cebu and connect to SM Seaside City Cebu through a link bridge, forming part of an integrated events, entertainment and retail destination.
In Pasay City, SMXCITE is targeted to open in early 2027 and has begun booking negotiations with event organizers.
The 18,000-square-meter facility will have 900 parking spaces and direct access to SM Mall of Asia through an elevated walkway.
The bigger picture
The two developments will expand SMX’s Philippine portfolio to seven convention centers and six trade halls, with more than 90,000 square meters of combined leasable space.
SMX is banking on the new capacity to capture further growth in local and international business events. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
