BANGKOK, 10 September 2021: Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau outlines a three-pronged strategy for 2022 that focuses on developing Thai cities to host events, upgrading workforce skills and pursuing prominent international organisations to host events in Thailand.
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said the 2022 strategy would focus on three pillars.
Reinforce national MICE
Develop skills and support more cities to become MICE-ready, creating new events and helping event organisers meet international standards to achieve greater economic impact. TCEB will work with partners from all sectors through projects such as EMTEX, which has enabled more than 10 public- and private-sector organisations to jointly elevate local trade fair standards.
To create new events, TCEB introduces a “Festival Economy” for cities in various regions. Cities will be encouraged to create a signature international festival – or “One City: One Event” – that can reflect the region’s unique advantages and become an economic driver.
A “Festival Economy” will unite the interests of local stakeholders such as service providers and suppliers, venue owners, and organisers towards a new common, self-sustaining goal with tangible economic benefits.
TCEB’s financial support for domestic meetings, which is now in its third phase, has so far attracted more than 1,000 applicants, while support for 645 meetings has already been approved.
Rejuvenate the workforce
The second pillar is for TCEB to partner with professional associations such as Thailand Incentive and Convention Association and International Congress and Convention Association to prepare the workforce and venues for the return of international MICE.
Recruit international events
The third pillar is to attract as many international events as possible. Thailand will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2022, and this signature event should empower Thailand’s MICE industry to attract more high-profile events in the following years.
Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council Wirot Nararak said: “NESDC has the policy to promote MICE aimed at driving the economy, generating income in each region and making Thailand a destination of high-quality travel. In this regard, we have developed strategies to spur our regional economies and MICE cities. Each region has been positioned for a particular economy based on its potential and foundation, such as the creative economy for the North, bio-farming for the Northeast, high-quality global tourism for the South, including the development of smart cities, special economic zones and border areas.”
