TCEB bent on snaring larger Mice numbers
Government support tabbed as catalyst
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) projects some 35.9 million Mice travellers next fiscal year, contributing total income of 221.5 billion baht.
The bureau hopes travellers for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) will reach 1.3 million foreigners, generating revenue of 100.5 billion, with 34.6 million participants from the domestic market, earning revenue of 121 billion.
Last fiscal year (October 2017-September 2018) Thailand received 34.2 million international and domestic Mice visitors, generating total revenue of 213 billion baht.
The number of international Mice travellers to Thailand was 1.2 million, generating 95.6 billion baht in income. Domestic participants totalled 33 million, generating revenue of 117 billion baht.
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, president of TCEB, said the major cause of growth is the government’s support in developing the Mice industry to enable economic growth.
Other driving forces were the readiness of Mice venues, including hotels, the international convention and exhibition centres in Bangkok and four other Mice cities as well as Mice professionals who delivered on their capacity for international service standards.
“These factors reinforced the confidence of international Mice travellers in Thailand as a preferred destination. The bureau has a policy to promote meetings in the provinces, with the aim of distributing income and strengthening communities,” Mr Chiruit said.
The agency is working with associations, public and private agencies as well as organisations to bring more international Mice events here.
Frost & Sullivan Thailand reported research found total Mice expenditure in the last fiscal year (excluding participant expenses) was valued at 251.4 billion baht and is expected to reach 316-405 billion by 2022.
In fiscal 2018, the Mice industry contributed 177.2 billion baht to the economy, accounting for 1.2% of GDP. It created 181,000 jobs and more than 23.4 billion baht in tax revenue.
Mr Chiruit said this year, TCEB has placed more importance on a proactive marketing strategy to win more events, create new events, support event organising and event bidding. It also wants to promote Thailand as a major Mice destination in Asia.
TCEB will leverage the government’s 4.0 policy by promoting the 12 targeted industries that are considered the engines of future growth, especially for Eastern Economic Corridor scheme.
Major plans for the fiscal year are aimed at generating revenue and developing the economy with an emphasis on earning revenue from Mice events to boost the national economy. Asian Mice remain the key market while Europe, the US and Oceania are considered a second-tier market.
“TCEB will support event bidding with a focus on regional and international events, especially those in the targeted industries following the government’s 4.0 policy,” Mr Chiruit said.
The agency will provide continuous support to ensure entrepreneurs can receive
International Organization for Standardization and Thailand Mice Venue Standards while developing digital services and support organisers in adopting digital technology for events.
In the coming year, TCEB plans to upgrade events in Mice cities and promote marketing activities along with road shows in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam.