TCEB to Launch New ‘Thailand CONNECT’ Brand

Bangkok / 2 October 2013 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) is today launching 'Thailand CONNECT'. TCEB’s latest global marketing campaign targets buyers from around the world, focusing on three key industry pillars: a diversity of destinations, unrivalled business opportunities, and the high quality of Thailand’s MICE professionals. In 2014 Thailand expects to attract 987,000 MICE travelers from overseas, with revenues reaching 96.9 billion baht (US$3.2 billion).

For the past 12 years, Thailand has hosted IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific, the region’s flagship trade show for the business and incentive travel and international meetings industries. This year’s Double-bill event will be held from 1-3 October at the Bangkok Convention Centre, Central World Bangkok. TCEB has chosen this forum to launch its latest global Thai MICE branding campaign. The initiative aims to create awareness among MICE travelers and international media. Altogether, more than 2,600 delegates from 60 countries are expected to join this event.

Mr. Nopparat MaythaveekulchaiTCEB’s President, disclosed that “For 2014, TCEB’s promotion of Thailand's MICE sector will continue under the 5-Year Master Plan (2012-2016), with its three fundamental strategies - WIN, PROMOTE and DEVELOP. TCEB will promote development and global visibility of the Thailand brand through its new campaign: ‘Thailand CONNECT: Your Global Business Events Connection’, in line with TCEB’s Growth Driver brand development,”The Thailand CONNECT campaign focuses on three strengths:

1. Diversity of Destinations. Thailand’s strategic location at the heart of Asia, together with convenient facilities and infrastructure, offer visitors an unrivalled choice of destinations. Thailand’s six international airports across the country connect to 190 destinations worldwide with over 500 flights per day. With nine purpose-built international conference and exhibition venues, the combined total exhibition space of 222,984 square meters is the highest in the region. Thailand’s five officially-designated ‘MICE Cities’ (Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen) offer unbeatable diversity of choice or MICE events of any type and scale.

2. Unrivalled Business Opportunities. With fast and convenient connections to all other countries in the region, ASEAN’s second largest economy is poised to play a leading role in the forthcoming unified regional market of the ASEAN Economic Community, or AEC in 2015. Economic integration will remove trade barriers and bring free transfer of goods, services, skilled labor, trade and investment among ASEAN members and its population of almost 600 million. Thailand is itself a major production and export base for key industries such as automotive and industrial components, computers and IT, energy, rubber and plastics. Adding to its strategic significance as a gateway to ASEAN, Thailand’s bilateral free trade agreements with 11 countries around the world will further reinforce Thailand’s strategic importance within this vast unified market.

3. High Quality Professionals. In addition to its legendary hospitality and quality of service. Thailand’s MICE industry has led the world in introducing global standards such as Energy Management (ISO 50001), Food Safety Management System (ISO 22000), MICE Security Management System (TISI 22300), and most recently, the new Event Sustainability Management System (ISO 20121). Thailand’s MICE sector has been boosted by accolades and awards from leading agencies, and Thailand is consistently ranked as one of the world's top MICE event destination. For example, in 2012, ICCA ranked Thailand as the ASEAN No. 1 by number of international meetings, while UFI ranked Thailand No. 1 by number of exhibitions space sold. Also, Thailand hosted a total of 7,382 MICE events, including prestigious global mega-events such as the 2012 Rotary International Convention, World Stamp 2013, the 65th World Newspaper Congress, ITU World, Telecom 2013, and World Marketing Forum 2014.

Together with the Thailand CONNECT campaign, the bureau also launches the latest advertising campaign for 2014, reflecting the philosophy of promoting business cooperation, both within Thailand and across the Asian region and successful business agreement. The campaign incorporates a number of exciting market promotion packages to support MICE business success under the ‘Thailand CONNECT Exclusive’ scheme.

1) CONNECT Destinations: For meetings and incentive travel groups, TCEB offers financial support of Baht 200,000 or about 6,660 U.S. dollars for events with more than 200 participants. Participants must stay at least 5 nights in Thailand, including an overnight stay in at least one other province apart from the main meeting location.

2) CONNECT People: For international conferences TCEB offers unique promotional support for events in the ASEAN+6 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, India, Taiwan and China (including Hong Kong and Macau).

3) CONNECT Business: For international exhibitions, TCEB offers special support for business matching activities for trade visitor groups of 15 or more delegates from ASEAN+6 and BIMSTEC countries, who travel to attend TCEB-supported international events in Thailand. To qualify for special support of USD 150 per person, the groups must stay a minimum of 3days/2nights, with at least 45 business matching appointments. Each participant will need at least three business matchmaking appointments; for groups with less than 45 appointments in total, the level of support will be USD 100 per person.

"The MICE industry has always played a key role in driving the broader economy, earning revenues of approximately 80 billion baht or about 2.66 billion U.S. dollars per year. I believe that the Thailand CONNECT campaign, as well as our many other market promotion activities will help drive further MICE sector growth. In 2014, TCEB forecasts growth of 5 percent in MICE travelers, to a total of 987,000 visitors by year-end, with revenues up 10 percent to 96.9 billion baht, or USD 3.26 billion," concluded Mr Nopparat.

During the 2013 fiscal year, from October 2012 to August 2013, Thailand welcomed 993,072 MICE travelers, with revenues of over 86,280 billion baht (US$ 2.87 billion). Top MICE visitors were from the conventions industry (318,663 visitors), followed by incentives travelers (247,888 visitors), corporate meetings (237,701 visitors) and exhibitions (188,820 visitors).

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About TCEB

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB takes the lead on behalf of the Thai government's in the development and success of Thailand’s MICE sector. Established in 2004, TCEB works to drive growth, elevate quality standards and inspire creativity in the industry. TCEB offers a range of advisory services and attractive support packages to contribute to the success and productivity of business events held in Thailand. This includes global outreach to build collaboration across a global network of MICE players. TCEB strives to create new business opportunities and lay the foundations for long term, sustainable industry growth.

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For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Division

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)

For more information please contact:

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau

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