By HENRY EMPEÑO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT –  Prestige and profit are expected to make the upcoming Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 here a very welcome event for the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and tourism establishments in this free port.

According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, the host Subic agency expects to reap a huge tourism ROI (return on investment) when the country’s biggest advertising and marketing event unfolds March 7 to 10 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

Eisma said that the SBMA would receive some P8.7 million in direct and indirect benefits from hosting the four-day convention.

“This will be on top of the income to be made by business establishments in the Freeport, as well as accredited suppliers during the event. So the actual ROI is quite huge, overall,” she pointed out.

Eisma said it is the hotels, restaurants and theme parks that would benefit most from the forthcoming event in Subic, but that in general Subic would be the biggest winner in terms of promotion and media exposure.

According to the SBMA Tourism Department, the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), which organizes Ad Summit, has committed around P7 million in media mileage to the SBMA for the upcoming event.

These include press releases and feature articles in print and online media; posters, flyers and banners for marketing and promotion; official television commercial and radio plugs; as well as exposure on social media.

Eisma said that this “is the best ROI that we get out of this event.”

Aside from this, organizers would also have to pay the SBMA close to P1.2 million in SBECC utility fees and ad permits.

Meanwhile, the Subic agency would also earn an estimated P450,000 from the environment and tourism administrative fee (ETAF) charged by local hotels on their guests, and around P60,000 in ETAF from theme parks in the Freeport.

SBMA Tourism Department head Jem Camba said that some delegates to the summit bring along family members, who would visit parks and resorts in Subic and patronize local restaurants and shops in the Subic Bay and Olongapo City area.

Camba said organizers are charging each delegate P19,000 for Ad Summit inclusions like entrance to plenary sessions and talks, officially-sponsored meals, shuttle service within the summit venues, and admission to the awards night, parties and special events.

“However, this fee won’t cover hotel accommodation and breakfast, so this is where local businesses would earn from,” she explained.

It will be the third time that Subic will be hosting Ad Summit Pilipinas since the biennial advertising and marketing convention debuted here in May 2014. The upcoming event is themed “DIY Your ROI,” as the advertising industry takes a closer look at the various impacts of creative work, organizers said.

Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 overall chair Norman Agatep  said the Ad Summit will be a jampacked event, as they assembled a panel of speakers who will focus on new paradigms and innovative creative solutions to effect financial, as well as social, impact.

Another expected crowd-drawer during the convention is the Kidlat Awards to be presented by the  Creative Guild, which is touted to be the country’s most prestigious creative advertising competition.

Top Photo: The postcard-pretty Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center will be the venue for Ad Summit 2018