TCEB ANNOUNCES ‘THAILAND CONNECT THE WORLD’ FOR EUROPE MICE MARKETS

Barcelona, 19 November 2014 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB is today marking an inaugural introduction of the ‘Thailand CONNECT The World’ brand communications campaign for the 2015 fiscal year, in the European markets. Aiming at reaffirming leadership position in the business events industry in Asia, the latest global brand communication campaign targeting top quality buyers and business events visitors from around the world, showcases the three key fundamental pillars of the Thailand’s MICE industry including ‘Destinations of Thailand: Your modern metropolis, the world’s business events paradise’, ‘Business in Thailand: Your borderless business potential, the world’s biggest market of opportunities’, and ‘People of Thailand: Your Success with Proficient Professionals’. As a strategic linkage between global business excellence and local expertise to drive the economy, Thailand expects to attract over one million business events travellers, earning the Thai economy more than €2.67 billion in 2015.

As a top 10 source market contributing to the vibrancy of Thailand’s business events industry, during the first three quarter of 2014 fiscal year, from October 2013 – June 2014, the European markets continue to show significant growth both in terms of visitor number and revenue. The number of European mainland business events travellers to Thailand rose by 5% to reach 83,157 in Q1-3 of 2014, compared to same period 2013. Revenues have risen 8% to €195.9 million.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, VICE President Strategic and Business Development of TCEB revealed that, “The strategic direction to promote Thailand’s MICE industry is in response to the government policy of reinforcing international confidence in Thailand, and especially boosting the vibrancy of the country’s business events industry, which helps connect business events to global success. For 2015, TCEB has developed the ‘Thailand CONNECT The World: Global Businesses and Local Experts Link to Boost Business Events Success’ brand communications campaign, building on Thailand’s 2014 brand campaign.”

The Thailand CONNECT The World campaign builds on the strong legacy of the three fundamental pillars of Thailand’s business events industry including (1) Destinations (2) Businesses and (3) People, by showcasing the best of all three elements.

1. Destinations in Thailand: Your Modern Metropolis, the World’s Business Events Paradise - highlighting three key attributes, which include:

(1)    The World’s Most Desired Happy Hour for Business Events – Thailand never sleeps and business events in Thailand are never stuck in business hours. Business events in Thailand ramp up as the sun go down, making your event a guaranteed all-time favourite; The perfect business event starts with dream destinations, and together with local activities, enable us to offer the world’s most desired happy hours for business events in any season, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

(2)    The World’s Most Advanced Connectivity Components for Complete Connections – Expansion of airports and major ports will see the country emerge rapidly as an ideal destination for global business events. Thailand is connected to regional arterial networks, and first-class 3G/4G LTE offers seamless connections covering 98 per cent of the country, while Wi-Fi is offered on board by Thai Airways and Nok Air;

(3)    The World Most Amendable & Delightful Destination for Business Events Paradise – Thailand’s numerous cultural and natural attractions offer delegates a vast array of facilities, infrastructure, and DIY (Do Itinerary Yourself) extracurricular activities to enjoy in their downtime.

2.    Business in Thailand: Your borderless business potential, the world’s biggest market of opportunities - highlighting three key attributes, which include:

(1)    The World’s Biggest Marketplace for Boundless Business Benefits – Thailand is making use of international frameworks to further its interests in achieving stable and sustainable business events industry growth. With full implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Thailand will become the centre of the world’s biggest market of opportunities with a regional population around 3,358 million, thanks to being within easy reach of more than 16 countries, and an upcoming collaboration and partnership programme: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In addition, Thailand is an international commercial hub and leading producer in a range of global industries including automotive, electric & electronics, food, and gems & jewellery, and features strong market recognition and robust government collaboration and support.

(2)    The World’s Trade Negotiations, For Advancement of Your Achievements - Negotiations on a number of landmark trade deals are currently being led by Thailand’s Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN), marking unprecedented potential business opportunities. Landmark negotiations on the EU-Thailand and Thailand-EFTA Free Trade Agreements build on positive developments with the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Complementing these are negotiations between Thailand - BIMSTEC, and Thailand - Chile. Taken together, these negotiations have the potential to create the ideal platform for your success.

(3)    The World’s Most Interconnected Hub for Your Unparalleled Success – Thailand is home to world-leading international government and non-profit organisations including United Nations ESCAP, Amnesty International, UNDP, UNICEF, PATA, GBTA, and AACVB, and plays host to many intergovernmental conferences, ministerial summits and conferences, and regional sporting competitions.

3.    People of Thailand: Your Success with Proficient Professionals, the World’s Best Workforce with Global-minded Service - highlighting three key attributes, which include:

(1)    The World’s Best Service with a Siamese Smile for Seamless Success – Thailand’s skilled business events workforce not only boasts world-leading expertise, but ‘glocalised’ service with local flexibility which will help ensure business events success.

(2)    The World’s Most Preferred Business Alliances for All-round Business Success – Business events in Thailand mean partnering with an enthusiastic team of imaginative industry experts, comprised of all-round stakeholders from both public and private bodies.

(3)    The World’s Clearest Certified Curriculum for the Next World-Class Business Event Leaders – Thailand invests in building human capital by improving both the quality of and access to its educational institutions through a strengthened business events curriculum and teacher training initiatives.

“Our presence at the EIBTM along with the announcement of the ‘Thailand CONNECT The World’ brand communications campaign and other market development initiatives will help to boost confidence in Thailand among the international business community, especially in high potential long-haul source market such as the European markets. It will also reinforce our strong capabilities proposition as a vital link between global businesses and local experts to boost business events success, and propel the prosperity of the global economy in a sustainable way,” Mrs Supawan added.

In fiscal year of 2014 (October 2013-September 2014), Thailand has welcomed a total of 918,530 overseas MICE visitors generating total revenue of €1.99 billion. Looking ahead, TCEB forecasts that the launch of Thailand CONNECT The World campaign together with other market initiatives will enable Thailand to welcome 1,036,300 business events visitors, earning the Thai economy a total of €2.67 billion.

Reiterating its leadership position as a premiere business events destination in Asia, Thailand will host a myriad of industry events in the latter part of 2014 and throughout 2015, including Unicity Global Convention 2014, WorldVentures 2014, FDI Annual World Dental Congress 2015, and One Young World Summit 2015 and more. Also Thailand has track records of delivering successful trade shows and exhibitions such as INTERMACH, Propak Asia, Metalex, and IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific. Moreover, TCEB recently won new bids to host the Harmony World Puppet Carnival Bangkok 2014, International Balloon Festival 2015 and Sustainable Brand Event 2015.

Also available at the Thailand Pavilion (booth no.H50) at the EIBTM 2014, held at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, was the Meeting Bonus financial subsidy campaign, especially for long haul markets including the Europeans, the organisers of corporate meetings and incentive travel groups of only 100 or more delegates, spending minimum of four nights in Thailand will be eligible for the financial support of approximately €2,300.

Visitors to EIBTM 2014 are invited to Connect with Thailand at the Thailand Pavilion as timetable below.

Thailand’s Pavilion (No.H50) Opening Time

18th November 2014

09.00-18.00 hrs.

19th November 2014

09.00-19.00 hrs.

20th November 2014

09.00-17.00 hrs.

Performance Show every day

11.30 hrs. / 14.00 hrs. / 15.00 hrs.

DestinationPresentation everyday

12.00-12.20hrs./14.30-14.50 hrs./15.30-15.50 hrs.

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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