TCEB boosts business through TIME

BANGKOK Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has launched Thailand Incentive & Meeting Exchange 2016 (TIME 2016) to broaden  the meeting and incentive business.

TCEB president, Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, said TIME was a new platform to offer insights and encourage exchange and business negotiations starting with the China market.

China is the biggest tourism market for Thailand with  almost 8 million visitors, last year, and heading for 10 million this year.

An important segment in the market is events tourism, or  MICE (Meetings, incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions.)

“China is the pilot market for the campaign…the bureau aims to attract more Chinese MICE events to Thailand through a series of marketing campaigns and promotions by presenting a wide range of MICE products and services that are tailored to the Chinese market.”

The campaign that focused on the China market was launched, last week, at Plaza Athénée Bangkok. TIME 2016’s two activities were held during 16 to 17 August at the same venue.

TIME highlights

Knowledge Exchange: a platform to exchange MI industry knowledge, in the form of a Forum with invited MI experts as keynote speakers, presenting key issues including analyses of China’s MICE industry. Approximately 150 Thai MICE industry operators participated in the event.

Business Exchange: A Table-top Session for direct business negotiations for Thai MICE operators and more than 40 MICE Agents from China.

Another key activity was a Mega Familiarisation Trip to Phuket during 18 to 21 August for 40 Chinese MICE agents, media and corporate customers in order to create awareness and promote the potential of the province.

The TIME campaign will expand to tap potential meeting and incentive markets such as India next year.

For just meetings and incentives, TCEB targets 518,000 visitors generating THB44 billion in revenue this year.

Key incentive events this year include Infinitus China Overseas Training 2016, with over 14,000 participants, and Pro-Health, with 5,500 visitors.

Last year, the MICE industry attracted 1,095,995 visitors, contributing THB95.9 billion to total MICE industry revenues.

MICE customers from China were ranked first, followed by the India, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia.

sourced:ttrweekly.com