Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau has laid down six major strategies to develop and expand the market for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) in partnership with private and government networks as well as the growing ASEAN community.
Promoting “Green Meetings,” the act of holding of environmentally friendly events, is key to boosting revenue for Thailand in 2010.
Mr. Akapol Sorasuchart, TCEB president, said Thailand’s MICE sector in 2008-2009 encountered slowing growth from internal factors, such as domestic political unrest, and external factors such as the troubled global economy and the 2009 flu pandemic.
In 2010, the economic situation is expected to trend positive, pushing the MICE sector to reach its growth target of 25 per cent. Next year the TCEB forecasts 785,816 MICE visitors to Thailand, generating income of 56 billion baht from about 400 events and activities.
“The TCEB has drawn up its three-year strategic plan [for 2010-2012] in line with Thailand’s national development plans, including the National Economic and Social Development Plan, the Strategic Formulation Plan [for 2008-2011], and the Tourism Recovery and Promotion Strategic Plan [for 2009-2012],” said Mr. Akapol.
“The TCEB’s strategic plan aims to promote Thailand as a prime destination for the MICE industry and as a stage of Asia for world-class MICE venue,” he added. “The plan is based on the potential network and cultures among ASEAN communities. It’s forecast that in seven years, by 2016, Thailand will be seen as top on the list for the MICE sector in Asia and throughout the world.”
The plan draws on three key concepts: WIN /PROMOTE and DEVELOP Under the plan, six major action plans are included.
1. Accelerate and expand the MICE market. It’s important to establish channels for marketing, public relations, and the capability to draw events with the cooperation of the private and public sectors.
2. Support MICE industry image-building. The importance of the MICE industry and the TCEB’s role and responsibility should be promoted. The “Thailand Creative Event Awards” is a good example for promotion.
3. Support value-added benefits to take the industry to the next level. The concept of the “Creative Economy” should be employed to grow the MICE industry to become more international, with support for new events and large-scale events and activities to Thailand.
4. Expand the capability of the MICE infrastructure. Thailand’s MICE industry must be recognized on the world stage. In 2010, the TCEB will give much effort to promoting highly recognized “Green Meetings,” the practice of holding environmentally friendly meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions, as a selling point to promote Thailand. Some of the MICE companies in Thailand have prepared infrastructure to support these meetings.
5. Build local and international networks. “Thai Team, Team Thailand” will be established as a center for co-operation between the government and private sectors.
6. Boost the role and potential of the TCEB. Management and human resources should be developed in correlation with the direction of the industry.
“The TCEB has a budget of 934 million baht for 2010,” Mr. Akapol said, “divided into 749 million baht for our fiscal budget. Of this amount, 200 million baht for the ‘Pid Thong Lang Pra’ Project, 145 million for WIN, 240 million baht for PROMOTE, 55 million baht for DEVELOP, and 110 million for internal operations.
“In addition, the TCEB has budgeted 185 million baht to attract income to Thailand via the ‘Strong Thailand Project’ and ‘Creative Economy,’” he added. “Activities under the ‘Strong Thailand Project’ include the Thailand MICE Road Show 2010 to boost confidence of our MICE industry in Japan; the TCEB’s participation in World Expo 2010 in Shanghai with the launch of ‘Thai Night’ at the Thailand Pavilion; and the search for an opportunity to draw World Expo 2020 to Thailand.”
The TCEB forecasts 628,653 MICE visitors to Thailand in 2009, compared with 727,723 visitors recorded in 2008. This year it expects to generate 45 billion baht, compared with 52 billion baht in 2008. (Updated figures will be received in March 2010).
In 2009, the TCEB succeeded in attracting 41 events and exhibitions as well as new creations consisting of 27 international conventions, three trade exhibitions, and 11 new shows. In addition, the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Thailand second in the Asian region after South Korea as the country with the highest number of international conventions and the number of participants.
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