TCEB Posts Strong Q1 2014 Performance Highlights MICE leadership with comprehensive promotions to boost confidence of international community

Bangkok / 20 February 2014 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), or TCEB, has announced the strong performance of Thailand’s MICE industry in the first quarter of the 2014 fiscal year. The bureau reported that between October and December 2013, Thailand welcomed 186,864 MICE travellers, contributing more than BHT 16,033 million into the country’s economy. Compared to the same period in 2013, visitor numbers and revenue grew a healthy 5.16 per cent and 6.16 per cent, respectively.  

Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, TCEB President remarked that, “October to December 2013 saw an expansion of 5.16% in MICE visitor numbers, with a total of 186,864 MICE visitors, whilst revenues reached Baht 16.033 billion, representing growth of 6.16%. During the 2013 fiscal year, a total of 1,013,502 MICE visitors were attracted by Thailand’s endless choice of business destinations, global standards of service, and diverse business opportunities. Asia itself accounts for 72% of Thailand’s MICE visitors, and grew strongly by 20.25% last year. The Middle East too represents a fast-growing MICE market, growing by 525% during October to December 2013, whilst Oceania also carries significant market potential, with growth of 16.63% last year.”

Thailand’s top 10 MICE markets as follows: China (38,036 visitors), Malaysia (13,103), Singapore (11,741), India (9,519), Philippines (6,688), Australia, (6,303), South Korea (4,859), USA (4,447), Japan (4,043) and Hong Kong (3,692 visitors).  China emerged as a dominant market in October-December 2013, showing growth of 177% over the same period in 2012. 

The international convention business accounts for the largest share of Thailand’s MICE market, both in terms of visitor numbers (58,682) and revenues (Baht 5.805 billion), and enjoyed growth of 9.29% over the previous year. In 2013 incentive travel accounted for 58,564 visitors, followed by meetings and exhibitions, with 38,315 and 31,303 visitors, respectively. For 2014, visitor numbers are projected to grow by 5%, with revenue growth at 10%.

To reinforce TCEB’s confidence in the industry during this challenging time, the bureau has introduced a very special rewards package with promotions including ‘Meetings Bonus’, which offers organisers generous financial subsidies for groups of 200 or more delegates who visit Thailand for three nights or longer to attend corporate meetings or incentive travel; and the ‘Conventions Bonus’, which offers associations, PCOs, governments and educational institutions significant financial subsidies for groups of 300 or more delegates to international conventions held in Thailand. Complementing these are TCEB’s ‘Business Up 2 U’ initiative, a fixed subsidy programme for exhibitions based on their previous years’ performance which offers them TCEB’s guaranteed support; and ‘Be My Guest’, which aims to attract high-quality, international exhibition buyers and visitors with financial support for room night allocation, up to a maximum of two room nights per person per exhibition.

Further demonstrating the strong position of the industry during this time, TCEB also shared the diverse line-up of confirmed major MICE activities in Thailand in 2014, including incentive travel events such as the Unicity Global Convention, international conventions such as the 3rd Global Congress for Consensus, The 10th International Mycological Congress (IMC) and the International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences – FIP 2014.  Confirmed international exhibitions and trade fairs this year include INTERMACH 2014, PROPAK 2014 and Food & Hotel Thailand 2014, among others.

TCEB considers the MICE industry as a key driver of broader economic growth across all business sectors. During the current quarter TCEB will work closely with its private and public sector “Team Thailand” partners to reinforce confidence in Thailand’s MICE industry during this challenging time. The strategy will focus on high-quality meetings and incentive travel markets, especially in the education, technology, telecoms, finance and accounting business sectors. TCEB also will promote growth in visitor numbers for other industries, particularly tourism, aerospace, and the creative industries. For the period January-March 2014 TCEB aims to attract a total of MICE 296,000 visitors, and revenues of Baht 29.07 billion.

“I am confident that the combined efforts of the ‘Thai Team’, our MICE recovery programme and the Thailand CONNECT campaign, as well as our many other market promotions, will help drive further MICE sector growth. In 2014, TCEB forecasts growth in MICE visitor numbers of five per cent to a total of 987,000 visitors by year-end, with revenues up 10 per cent to Baht 96.9 billion,”          Mr Nopparat concluded.

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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 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)  

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