Is this finally the new local motor show venue we’ve always wanted?
The 2026 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) and 2026 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) are upon us, happening this April and June, respectively. The venue? Same old World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) in Pasay City.
The exhibition center has been used by the two motor shows, among other events, for decades. And while it does its job, it’s either already too small, and terribly outdated and lacking in important facilities such as proper and clean parking areas. Calls for a new venue have always been there, but there just really isn’t any place of similar scale available.
That may be the case for now, but it could be only until 2027 as it seems like there’s a new one on the horizon as SM Hotels & Conventions Corporation (SMHCC) has broken ground for the new SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions or SMXCITE, located right across the SM Mall of Asia Arena, and near the SM Mall of Asia and current SMX Convention Center, and not to far from the WTCMM.
SMXCITE, as its name suggests, is surely something to be excited for as it will introduce a completely new and larger exhibition center in the country that will be capable of handling larger events, especially motor shows which need them as the WTCMM simply can’t keep up with the number of automotive brands in our market, each one’s needs, and the crowds.
The future venue will feature five exhibition halls in two buildings, providing more than 18,000sqm of trade hall space. It’s not much more than the WTCMM’s area of 16,500sqm, but combined with the current SMX Convention Center, that’s over 35,000sqm of exhibition space we’re talking about. Complementing these are four meeting rooms and two dedicated VIP lounges.
That gives the possibility of the annual MIAS and biennial PIMS to make use of the two venues, adding more floor space, and perhaps bringing up the two motor shows to international standards. The MIAS isn’t new to using two separate venues as two years ago, it used both the WTCMM and SMX Convention Center simultaneously, just not the most convenient at the time.
The SMXCITE also brings convenience as its proximity to the SMX Convention Center further allows the potential of using both at the same time. We say about 10 to 15 minutes of walking between both, similar to what’s the case in other global motor shows we’ve been to in Japan and China.
Add in the fact that there are several proper parking areas, plenty of food options, and a handful of accommodation facilities around the SM Mall of Asia complex, which will also make it much more convenient to visitors and delegates at the MIAS and PIMS.
2027 can’t come soon enough, and hopefully this future venue is considered by the organizers of the two largest motor shows in the country. Everyone wants a better location, this might be it.
