Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is launching a five-year action plan (2023-2027) as part of the TCEB Go strategy and Thailand MICE to Meet You Year 2023 campaign to reinvigorate the economy and showcase Thailand as a leading MICE destination on a worldwide scale. In response to travel recovery, the strategic strategy emphasizes innovation and mutual growth of sustainability.
According to Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), or TCEB, “With the relaxation of domestic and international travel restrictions throughout the world, the MICE sector is prepared for a healthy comeback. Under its TCEB Go strategy, TCEB is implementing a five-year action plan (2023-2027) to assist and advance the MICE business. The purpose is to act as a corporate partner in driving success, to raise Thailand as a leading MICE destination via creative techniques, and to support reciprocal growth of industry sustainability. As part of the strategy, TCEB will launch a campaign called Thailand MICE to Meet You Year 2023 to encourage the organization of MICE events and, as a result, distribute income to strengthen local economies around the nation.”
The TCEB Go strategy, which aims to drive MICE sector growth and position Thailand as a premier MICE destination internationally, is implemented through five strategic approaches:
T: Thailand as a Global MICE Leader – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau is committed to promoting Thailand as a top destination for world-class MICE events in order to generate cash, strengthen the country’s economy, build alliances, and create commercial possibilities. The plan is implemented by luring international events to Thailand, such as the International Horticultural Expo 2026 in Udon Thani, and working with government departments to bid on events through the One Ministry, One Convention programme. For example, TCEB is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to compete for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in 2026. Bids for the World Horticultural Exposition 2029 in Nakhon Ratchasima and the Expo 2028 Phuket Thailand are also being solicited. In terms of marketing strategy, TCEB intends to enter new markets such as Israel and Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE, as well as Central Asian markets such as Kazakhstan, while remaining focused on core Asia-Pacific markets such as CLMV, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, and China, followed by North American and European markets.
C: Increase Destination Competitiveness Through Diverse Local Identity – TCEB works with local communities and networks to strengthen MICE capabilities in various regions by promoting diverse local identities and memorable localized experiences for MICE groups. The strategy comprises the creation of MICE routes in each province as well as the creation of the Product MICE Premium program, which converts local products and services into souvenirs, snacks, or presents. Additionally, TCEB is active in area marketing to discover each city’s distinctive character or DNA and shape it into a compelling selling pitch. Additional endeavors include pushing local events, such as the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and the Khon Kaen International Silk Festival, to national and international prominence. It is part of TCEB’s ongoing efforts to expand and diversify MICE destinations around the country.
E: Implement Innovative MICE Solutions – TCEB is committed to increasing Thailand’s MICE industry’s worldwide competitiveness by encouraging digital skills and innovation in MICE services. To that aim, TCEB is continuing to create the MICE Intelligence Center as a resource to help MICE entrepreneurs and stakeholders be more efficient, while Thailand MICE One Stop Service, a digital platform, has been established to help facilitate MICE logistics. Furthermore, for the third year in a row, TCEB is implementing the MICE Winnovation project, which will be held on March 31 to assist MICE entrepreneurs in applying innovation and technology to event planning and crafting problem solutions that meet the needs of organizers, participants, and venue operators.
B: Create an Agile and High-Performance Organization – Through the implementation of the AAA strategy, which includes work process alignment, agile work practices, and agenda-based project orientation across departments, TCEB has set its sights on transforming itself into an agile and high-performing organization. Furthermore, TCEB prioritizes the development of its personnel’s capabilities in order to support their professional and mental growth, as well as an ethical corporate culture. The objective is to be an organization that can strike a sustainable balance between working environment and human development.
TCEB is devoted to changing Thailand’s MICE business via sustainability and environmental responsibility. The program seeks to assist MICE locations in obtaining worldwide sustainability certification from the Global Destination Sustainability Index, as well as MICE organizers in obtaining ISO 20121 accreditation. TCEB is also working to advance sustainable event management practices, develop a more efficient carbon footprint calculation for MICE events, provide support for carbon-neutral events, and assist over 450 MICE organizers and entrepreneurs across the country in becoming Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standard (TSEMS) certified. With recognition as a certifying organization for professionals in five segments of the meeting and exhibition industry – incentive travel organization, meeting organization, exhibition organization, event organization, and venue management – TCEB plans to evaluate and certify the standards of 500 MICE professionals over the next five years, resulting in the long-term development of MICE personnel.
Mr. Chiruit stated that during the fiscal year 2023 (October 2022-September 2023), TCEB would bid on high-potential international events in order to elevate Thailand’s standing as a center for global meetings and exhibits. Thailand will host major events this year, including the World Congress of Nephrology (30 March-2 April), the 29th International Montessori Congress (2-5 August), the AFECA Annual General Meeting 2023 in October, the 62nd ICCA Congress (2023) (12-15 November), and the World Allergy Congress (WAC) 2023. (1-3 December). Meanwhile, TCEB continues to sponsor exhibits in the 12 S-Curve industries. For example, the food processing and robotics sectors are represented by the VIV Asia 2023 and Meat Pro Asia 2023 (8-10 March). Another event related to the future automobile sector is the ASEAN Sustainable Energy Week (ASEW) 2023 (30 August-1 September). In the incentive travel industry, nearly 80,000 people will visit Thailand between March and November. The total includes 50,000 MICE visitors from Asia-Pacific nations, as well as 30,000 visitors from China.
In addition to the TCEB Go strategy, the TCEB is aggressively pushing the Thailand MICE to Meet You Year 2023 campaign, which aims to stimulate the economy through MICE events like as conferences, training programs, professional meetings, exhibits, corporate events, and festivals. The initiative would assist produce cash and job possibilities in various parts of the country.
Furthermore, on April 26, TCEB will host MICE DAY or National MICE Day, recognizing the MICE industry’s importance in the nation’s growth from the past to the present. This event will bring together technology and sustainability specialists to exchange key ideas and experiences that will benefit the MICE sector. This year’s event is expected to attract around 400 MICE industry members.
Thailand received 7.93 million MICE visitors in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 (October to December 2022), generating 28.53 billion baht in revenue. International MICE travelers accounted for 183,618 of that total, creating 12.03 billion baht in revenue, while domestic travelers accounted for 7.75 million, generating 16.50 billion baht in revenue.
Among all foreign MICE travellers, 97,015 visited exhibits, creating the largest income of 6.88 billion baht, followed by the corporate meeting sector, which attracted 55,687 visitors and produced revenue of 3.24 billion baht. International conferences drew 17,653 visitors and generated 1.06 billion baht in income. The incentive industry attracted 13,263 visitors and generated 851 million baht in income.
Similarly, exhibition was the industry with the most domestic MICE travelers, 7.31 million, and the most income, 14.82 billion baht. The conference then drew 304,826 domestic visitors and produced 1.11 billion baht in income. The corporate meeting industry received 129,054 domestic visitors and earned 537 million baht in income, while the domestic incentive sector generated 39 million baht from 8,076 visitors.
“Thailand expects to receive 18.55 million MICE visitors in fiscal year 2023, producing 109.00 billion baht in income for the economy. This comprises 760,000 overseas MICE visitors who contribute 50 billion baht in income and 17.79 million domestic MICE visitors who generate 59.00 billion baht in revenue. For the fiscal year 2023-2027, over 160 million MICE tourists are expected to visit Thailand, creating a total income of over 945.00 billion baht, according to the 5-year action plan under the TCEB Go strategy “Mr. Chiruit said.
