TCEB Launches “MICE Premium” Enhancing Value of Local Identities, Generating Revenue in Local Communities

15 September 2022: In order to develop regional MICE, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB supports in using community identity to produce local souvenirs to serve MICE events through the “Product MICE Premium” activity. The initiative will help local products development through culture, ways of life, and community resources. It will expand business opportunities for souvenir products in MICE market with the current spending of over 2.1 billion baht.

Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of TCEB, said that “Since 2021 TCEB has developed creative MICE project to empower communities across Thailand. The objective is to bring community identity to create unique charm for MICE events and impress MICE travellers who join MICE activities in the area. The important activity under the project is “Product MICE Premium” which aims to further develop local products and services to serve MICE industry such as organising catering with local food, snacks, or souvenirs in order to add value to products or services of the local communities.

From the information of organising meetings and exhibitions in Thailand, it found that the market of souvenirs for MICE events is valued at 2,100 million baht per year. 400 million baht is from overseas travellers’ purchase and 1,700 million baht is from domestic travellers. This creates marketing opportunities for MICE cities in every region, enabling them to use resources, raw materials, and the opportunity to sell a large sum of good quality community products. This project is another approach that uses MICE as a tool to generate income and create opportunities to expand regional economies across the country.”

TCEB selects community products for MICE events from three criteria: culture, ways of life, and community raw materials. Then, we take part in the co-development of products, processes, and repackaging to make the products’ standards appropriate for the targeted MICE markets. The products include souvenirs and local cuisine that are unique to the community. TCEB has collaborated with communities in three regions: Southern, Northern and Northeastern regions. Currently, there are a total of 15 products as follows:

Southern region – Convertible Beach Bag made by Sano Tik tie dye fabrics from Baan Naka community, Cracked Face Cookie from Phuket Old Town, and Pineapple Pie from Baan Bang Rong community.

Northern region – Clutch bags from On Tai community, Organic Rose Tea from Pink Lotus Organic Farm, and Aroma Diffusers made by the Nantaram community.

Northeastern region – Eri Silk Hat from Nong Ya Plong Silk Weaving Community, Cricket Pasta from Cricket Powder Group, Dinosaur Rock Salt from Baan Boh Herbal roup.

For the products and services development and marketing promotion of “Product MICE Premium” in all three regions, they will be developed to suit the products and areas as follows:

TCEB’s Southern Regional Office has cooperated with local partners to organise workshop with product and service owners in the community. We also provides consultants to give advice in making premium products as well as present the products through media channels of TCEB and our partners. This year, we have expanded collaboration with Phuket, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi and Ranong provinces. In August, TCEB organised "MICE Bazaar" event which served as a platform for marketing and business matching for “Product MICE Premium” in Phuket for the first time. The event was highly successful with over 28 manufacturers from MICE cities across the country joining the event. Buyers from 27 Southern Business Associations and 10 other regional associations as well as 68 buyers from both outside and inside the southern region and 16 sellers, resulting in 381 business matching.   

TCEB’s Northern Regional Office has promoted the “Product MICE Premium” by creating a business negotiation platform for various agencies such as Doi Tung, Pracharath Rak Samakkee Social Enterprise (Thailand) Co., Ltd., as well as both domestic and international Destination Management Companies (DMC). We also focus on educating the community about how to use Soft Power to creatively produce products and services. This year, we expand the areas of organising the activities from only in Chiang Mai, to Sukhothai and Phitsanulok as well by closely working with private sector, The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Phitsanulok, in bringing local ingredients to make alternative menus that show the province's unique identity while also bringing local products to be presented in the province's important events such as having Phitsanulok's cereal-wrapped banana products as a snack for cyclists participating in L'Etape Phitsanulok by Tour de France 2022 which will be held in December this year.

TCEB’s Northeastern Regional Office has focused on promoting comprehensive sales and marketing by recommending the products through online media, organising business negotiations in the area, and jointly integrate the plans with the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Council, and tourism business associations of the three MICE cities: Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima and Udon Thani. We are also considering the plans to expand the activities to potential provinces such as Buriram and Ubon Ratchathani in order to develop northeastern-style MICE products to be in MICE venues such as hotels, convention centres, and exhibition centres in the area.

Mr. Chiruit concluded that “This project was initiated to support communities in developing local products that meet the needs of MICE travellers which currently are experiencing local lifestyle and unique identity of people in the community including food, products, gifts and souvenirs. In this regard, in 2023, TCEB is planning to organise “MICE Bazaar” - a grand event that will enhance the “Product MICE Premium”. The event will take place at Koh Samui, Surat Thani Province. Also, another event is “MICE Mart”, a market for ISAN MICE products, at Khon Kaen which will focus on business negotiations of all entrepreneurs in the northeast.”