Bangkok (Thailand) – September 4, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is hosting the Thailand MICE Forum 2017 to provide the industry with market insights and visions regarding sustainability goals. Featuring a range of informative events for the MICE industry, the forum includes four main activities: a presentation of the Bureau's strategies and plans, the MICE Awards ceremony, a seminar on sustainable MICE events, and a platform for networking with experts and TCEB overseas representatives.

Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of the TCEB, stated: “With the establishment of the TCEB’s 20-year vision, the office is working to become a leading organization that promotes the MICE industry as an engine for Thailand’s economic development. The initiative aims to create stability, distribute prosperity across all sectors through innovation, and ensure sustainability by implementing the principles of sufficiency economics. Based on this long-term vision, four key strategies have been developed to guide the country’s MICE industry toward stability and sustainability.”

The focus and key activities of these strategies are: (1) Parallel growth in line with the country's development, with a focus on securing the existing market and developing new markets. Target sectors of the Thailand 4.0 strategy include food, agriculture, biotechnology, public health and wellness, as well as other potential sectors such as energy, transport, communications, entertainment, etc. To promote MICE activities for these sectors, the TCEB will create a MICE event calendar categorized by MICE cluster themes and conduct various activities to drive innovation and further develop business events into SMART MICE THAILAND.

(2) Growth in a high-potential market, focusing on regions with strong growth and close links to Thai economic development. Under this strategy, the primary regions are ASEAN, Asia, and the CLMV/GMS; secondary regions are Europe, the Americas, and Oceania; and other potential regions are Eastern Europe and Latin America. Planned activities for the target markets in these regions include participation in international trade shows, the organization of roadshows, the establishment of representative offices, and intensified promotional efforts to foster the target industries in these areas. Furthermore, the office is establishing the "MICE Intelligence & MICE Innovation" unit, which will gather information, analyze market trends, and assist private event organizers in developing business plans to enhance their competitiveness.

(3) Growth in the sense of equal opportunities through the creation of more opportunities for the growth of the MICE industry and the strengthening of the capacities of MICE cities and cities with high potential, namely Songkhla, Chiang Rai and Udon Thani. Development will be promoted through activities such as the Thailand Domestic MICE Mart, the Luang Prabang-Indochina-Mawlamyine Economic Corridor International Conference (LIMEC), workshops in special economic zones and key events under the government's super-cluster policy, which contribute to strengthening local identities, such as the Halal Festival in Had Yai and the E-San Silk Festival.

(4) The Office is experiencing strong growth through its efforts to strengthen the MICE industry by implementing development measures. One example of the Office's success is the "Thailand MICE Venue Standard" initiative, which has evolved into the "ASEAN MICE Venue Standard." This campaign establishes the international standard for congress and exhibition venues at the regional level. Furthermore, the TCEB is strengthening its organization by developing internal systems to better support the industry in the future.

Building on the foundations of communication, vision, and policy, as well as the integration and collaboration of all sectors, TCEB is organizing the Thailand MICE Forum 2017 – a week packed with MICE activities designed to showcase the Thai events industry and provide stakeholders with a platform to exchange visions, knowledge, and networks with partners from various sectors. The event comprises four main activities and will take place on September 4th and 5th, 2017, at the Plaza Athénée Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel.

The following events will take place on September 4: 1) The 2017 MICE Symposium serves as a platform for the TCEB to present its annual results for the 2017 fiscal year and to introduce its plan for the coming fiscal year. 2) The 2017 MICE Awards will recognize MICE experts and organizations that have contributed to the Thai MICE industry and brought international MICE events to Thailand. 3) On September 5, the 2017 MICE Sustainability Forum will take place, focusing on the integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into event management. 4) The seminar "Meet the Representative: Meetings & Incentives" promotes knowledge exchange and offers MICE entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn about current marketing trends and network with international TCEB representatives.

The MICE Forum 2017 is themed “Drive – Change – Inspire – Innovation”. “The idea behind it is the transformation of the MICE industry towards prosperity, driven by innovation and creativity, which are incorporated into a sustainable event,” said Mr. Chiruit.

The TCEB anticipates a total of 30.1 million MICE travelers in Thailand in fiscal year 2018, generating a revenue of 174 billion baht. Of this, 1,192,000 will be international MICE visitors, generating 112 billion baht in revenue, and 29 million will be domestic MICE travelers, generating 62 billion baht in revenue. The TCEB aims to develop the MICE industry into a key driver of prosperity, distributing income to the regions and strengthening and sustainably shaping the country's economy.

Through the Convention and Exhibition Bureau of Thailand (TCEB) – the leading government agency – which has been instrumental in the success of numerous global and regional business events since 2004. With our core strategic model, the growth driver, TCEB acts as your strategic business partner, delivering creative ideas and offering solutions from our expert team for events of all sizes and diverse individual projects.

TCEB has established numerous collaborations and networks to unlock new business opportunities and strategically promote every business success. Our goal is to equip the events industry at the national, regional, and global levels for continuous development, long-term growth, and sustainable success.

For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications Department, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (public organization)

Ms. Arisara Thanuplang Email: [email protected] Tel.: +66 2 694 6095 Mr. Karun Wararatchai Email: [email protected] Tel.: +66 2 694 6179 Ms. Paniyada Mulalin Email: [email protected] Tel.: +662 694 6091