The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) says it will continue to drive the meetings industry forward with a USD30 million, three-year plan, focusing on mega-events from key Asian and ASEAN+6 markets.
The plan, which targets corporate incentive travel, includes the launch of the ASEAN Visitors Promotion Campaign.
For the past 11 years, Thailand has hosted IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific, the region’s largest international trade show for the conference and incentive travel industry.
Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, acting director of the meetings industry department of TCEB, said the strategy is to create new trade and investment opportunities by positioning Thailand as the natural gateway to the ASEAN market, and a hub for creation of new region-wide business opportunities.
A range of activities and promotional campaigns will boost the corporate meetings market in the coming three years. These include:
1) A Mega-event promotion: TCEB offers financial support of USD33,000 for corporate meetings in Thailand with a duration of three days or more, and 1,000 or more participants;
2) TCEB offers support for events hosted continuously in Thailand for at least three years with 1,000 or more participants.
The campaign focuses on five main business areas: direct selling, automotive, pharmaceutical, finance and insurance.
The level of support offered increases each year, provided that the event secures at least 10% year-on-year increase in delegate numbers.
The two campaigns, to be implemented from 2013-2015, are expected to result in a targeted 81,200 corporate meetings and incentive travellers, earning USD177 million over the period.
For association meetings, a USD33,000 budget increase will be used to implement the "ASEAN Visitors Promotion" campaign, which aims to attract business visitors from the ASEAN+3 markets (ASEAN +Japan, Korea, China).
