THAILAND POISED TO BE ‘TOP OF MIND’ ASIAN MICE DESTINATION

Bangkok / 4 September 2014 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organisation) or TCEB underlined its strategic vision to drive Thailand to become the ‘Top of Mind’ location for the MICE industry in Asia, showcasing its position as the region’s premiere, high quality MICE destination. TCEB has also put in place a market stimulation plan, in line with development initiatives to strengthen capabilities, in anticipation of the upcoming full integration of the ASEAN Economic Community. Both strategies were outlined at the fifth annual Meetings Industry Day 2014, which served as a platform to publicly announce TCEB’s marketing plan for the meetings, incentives travel, and conventions industries, all of which are major contributors to Thailand’s MICE industry.

Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB said that, “TCEB’s market development plan for the meetings, incentives travel, and conventions industry for the fiscal year 2015 has been developed under our corporate vision to drive sustainable growth of the Thai MICE sector, while proactively advancing Thailand to become Asia’s ‘Top of Mind’ MICE destination. Featuring a strategic direction to increase the number of visitors and events held in Thailand, TCEB will also continue to promote the country’s positive image as a premiere regional destination for superb quality meetings, incentive travel, and conventions, and support mega event bids, especially within the focus clusters aligned with government support.”

Thailand’s meetings industry comprises of three industry sectors: 1) corporate meetings, 2) incentives travel; and 3) international conventions. The meetings industry contributes up to 82 per cent of Thailand’s total MICE industry revenue. In 2013, the industry attracted a total of 822,183 visitors, generating THB73,961 million, from a total of 1,013,502 MICE visitors, and overall revenue of THB 88,485 million. The highest number of meetings and incentives travellers were from China, while Malaysian convention delegates topped the list for international convention visitor numbers.

Under the meetings, incentive travel, and conventions market development plans, TCEB is committed to a number of corporate strategies, which include 1) WIN Strategy: Focusing on market stimulation, bidding for mega events, development of attractive promotional packages, and appointment of overseas marketing representatives; 2) PROMOTE Strategy: Focusing on participation in key trade shows, organisation of roadshows, and networking activities, as well as creating awareness among respective corporate customers in target markets; 3) DEVELOP Strategy: Emphasising elevating capabilities and standards among MICE entrepreneurs and venue operators.

As promotional packages under the WIN Strategy, TCEB has formulated a wide range of promotions for 2015, including support for groups of 30-300 delegates, for whom TCEB can provide souvenirs, Fast Track service, cultural performances, and financial subsidies.

In addition, through the Meetings Bonus, TCEB will provide additional financial support from THB100,000-1,000,000 for meetings and incentive travel groups of 200-1,000 delegates, staying in Thailand for at least three nights. The promotion runs from now until June 2015. Especially for mega events, the generous Mega Incentive Event campaign, which runs until next year, will benefit the organization of meetings and incentive travel groups of 1,000 delegates or more with total financial support of THB1,000,000.

Identified as key trade shows for the meetings and incentive travel sectors, under the PROMOTE Strategy, TCEB is committed to taking part in IT&CM Asia, IT&CM China, IMEX America, IMEX, EIBTM, CIBTM and AIME, as well as arranging roadshows in seven strategic markets including China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, and the UK. Moreover, networking activities will be held in nine target markets such as Australia, South Korea, India, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and South Africa.

Demonstrating the importance of the DEVELOP Strategy, TCEB will emphasize collaboration among Thai MICE entrepreneurs, including hotels, airlines, associations and chambers of commerce in the Philippines and Myanmar.

“TCEB is proud to take this opportunity to announce our meetings industry development plan, while closely considering knowledge shared by experts, and promoting other noteworthy developments. This year, the fifth annual Meetings Industry Day 2014 is held under the theme, Thailand: More Than Ready. The theme is designed to highlight Thailand’s readiness, reinforce confidence among our stakeholders, and prepare our industry for the forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community,” Mr Nopparat added.

In 2014, TCEB is successfully supporting more than 100 meetings industry events, including the 11th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) with 3,000 delegates; the 2014 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (ETC 2014) with 1,273 delegates, the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR 2014) with 4,000 delegates; the IUPAC World Polymer Congress 2014; the 45th International Symposium on Macromolecules (MACRO 2014) with 1,500 delegates, and Unicity Global Convention 2014 with 20,000 delegates. The bureau also supported 28 event bids, 16 of which they successfully won, including the 11th Asia Pacific Congress of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APCAACI) with 1,500 delegates; WONCA Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2017 (WONCA) with 1,000 delegates, and One Young World 2015 with 2,000 delegates.

It is expected that this year Thailand will attract 888,210 MICE visitors, generating THB87,200 million MICE revenue into the Thai economy, with 225,748 delegates and THB25,654 million from corporate meetings; 234,191 delegates and THB16,895 million from incentive travel; and 264,874 delegates and THB31,586 million from international conventions.

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For more information, please contact Corporate Communications Division

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)

Ms Arisara Thanuplang Tel: +66 2 694 6095 Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th

Mr Pishnu Plaikaew Tel: +66 2 694 6000 Email: pishnu_p@tceb.or.th

Ms Kanokwan Kadeedang Tel: +66 2 694 6006 Email: Kanokwan_k@tceb.or.th

Ms Kwanchanok Otton Tel: +66 2 694 6096 Email: kwanchanok_o@tceb.or.th