TCEB Bolsters ART 2016 as Trade Exhibition to Bridge ASEAN Business Success, Driving the Economy and Transforming Thailand into a Trading Nation

Bangkok, 29 March 2016 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB today announced the second edition of the ASEAN Rising Trade Show, aimed at reinforcing the country's leadership position as an exhibition platform for ASEAN, connecting stakeholders with Southeast Asia’s business success. By adopting the government’s strategic direction to transform Thailand into a ‘Trading Nation’, ART 2016 will also underline the inclusive ‘state of the people’ policy creating public and private collaboration, while leveraging Thailand’s competitive edge and value proposition within both ASEAN and the global marketplace.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Vice President – Strategic and Business Development, TCEB revealed that the exhibition sector is considered as a mechanism to help drive and strengthen the country’s economy. As an effective trade and investment platform connecting sub-regions and ASEAN as a whole, exhibitions also help promote a global value chain that is beneficial to the country’s five key fundamental industries, enabling economic growth at the regional level – including Automotive, Energy, Food and Agriculture Products, Healthcare and Wellness, and Infrastructure. Additionally, supporting the growth of the exhibition sector will help to transform Thailand into a ‘Trading Nation’.

“Moving Thailand towards a leadership position as an exhibition platform for ASEAN, the second edition of the ASEAN Rising Trade Show (ART) – Think Big, Go Beyond is conceived through key strategies -- upgrading the Thai exhibition industry, and providing financial support for international marketing activities. In line with the government’s ‘state of the people’ policy, TCEB strives to develop its exhibition industry network by supporting and collaborating with key government bodies within the five identified industries to increase its competitive edge at a regional level. We also collaborate with private sector organisations and exhibition industry associations to help identify market opportunities and provide support in line with the demands of the industry.”

Mrs. Jaruwan Suwannasart, Director of Exhibitions and Events, TCEB reiterated the success of the ASEAN Rising Trade Show in 2015, highlighting that 12 finalist international trade exhibitions supported by the programme were able to increase their number of international trade visitors by 31.90 per cent which contributed by the number of ASEAN trade visitors at 45.30 per cent. These achievements bridged the connection between key trade associations in ASEAN and promoting sustainable growth of the exhibitions sector.

“Trade exhibitions are considered a first step in initiating trade and investment, and also a platform for manufacturers, sellers and buyers to meet. This is especially the case in the Healthcare and Wellness industry, which the Thai government emphasizes as part of the key strategic roadmap for the ASEAN Economic Community. International exhibitions will bring together entrepreneurs to meet, negotiate, and expand collaboration, as well as share knowledge, which will result in increasing trade and investment. TCEB also expects the exhibitions sector to continue to grow, in line with the MICE industry development plan 2017-2021, by 10 per cent in terms of average number of visitors, and 14 per cent in terms of revenue.”

Under the ASEAN Rising Trade Show (ART) programme this year, TCEB provides support for a total of nine international trade exhibitions within four key industries including Automotive, Energy, Food and Agriculture, and Healthcare and Wellness. In addition, TCEB along with programme partners including the Thai Exhibition Association, and the Global Association of The Exhibition Industry (UFI), set criteria for participation in the programme that includes marketing creativity, sustainability for trade exhibitions, and ability to grow international trade visitors from ASEAN. Moreover, the marketing activities proposed by exhibition organisers for ART selection must not be included in TCEB’s current support schemes, and must be able to demonstrate clear KPIs as a part of monitoring and evaluation.

Finalists for ASEAN Rising Trade Show 2016 include, from the Automotive industry: GRTE 2016 (Global Rubber, Latex & Tire Expo 2016, Automotive Manufacturing 2016, and Assembly and Automation Technology 2016; from the Food & Agriculture industry: Food & Hotel Thailand 2016, and SIMA ASEAN Thailand 2016; from the Healthcare & Wellness industry: Thailand Lab International 2016 and Beyond Beauty ASEAN Bangkok 2016; and from the Energy industry: ASEAN Sustainable Energy Week 2016, and 3W Expo 2016.

In line with the AEC agenda, it is expected that during the three-year (2015-2017) programme, ASEAN Rising Trade Show will be able to drive exhibition industry growth in terms of the number on ASEAN trade visitors by 30 per cent annually. Upon completion of the programme, TCEB will initiate new programmes in response to industry trends and demands, from 2017 onwards.

“We believe that the ASEAN Rising Trade Show programme will enable international exhibitions within the Automotive, Food & Agriculture, Healthcare & Wellness, Energy, and Infrastructure industries to rise to an ASEAN regional level and to increase their value proposition for Thai exhibition organisers. Armed with our vision to drive the Thai economy and to strengthen our leadership position as an exhibition platform in ASEAN, TCEB targets an increase to the number of international trade visitors to 191,000, generating revenue of 15.6 billion baht in the 2016 fiscal year,” concluded Mrs. Supawan.

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For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications Division,

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)

Ms Arisara Thanuplang Tel: + 662 694 6095 Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th

Ms Kanokwan Kadeedang Tel: + 662 694 6006 Email: kanokwan_k@tceb.or.th

Ms Kwanchanok Otton Tel: + 662 694 6096 Email: kwanchanok_o@tceb.or.th

Ms Paniyada Mulalin Tel: + 662 694 6091 Email: paniyada_m@tceb.or.th

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