TICA MICE UPDATE

MESSAGE FROM

SUMATE SUDASNA

As we look ahead to a promising 2019, let us take a moment to reflect on what a successful year 2018 has been. Every year, there has been an increasing number of business travellers coming to Thailand, and this time is no different.

For our fourth-quarter TICA MICE update, I am delighted to report that we have surpassed our MICE targets for 2018, reaching a respectable revenue of B219 billion. We have recorded 34,261,307 domestic and international business event visitors, thanks to the joint efforts of numerous people working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our MICE standards are on par with the world’s best.

The Thai government has also been instrumental in supporting the MICE industry, which has been a key factor for economic growth. Additionally, I would like to draw attention to world-class MICE venues, which have efficiently carried out various functions across the country.

For next year, we aim to further the growth of the MICE sector even more. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has just launched a new campaign entitled Thailand: REDEFINE Your Business Events, which calls for the Thai business events community and international event planners to work collaboratively to create new event content and strategies to attract stronger returns on investment, time, effort and engagement.

Moreover, Thailand’s highly anticipated assumption of the ASEAN chairmanship in 2019 will have a favourable impact on the nation’s MICE industry, as one of our top priorities is to enhance connectivity within the ASEAN region.

Thailand is also in the midst of an ambitious railway development project, which will position the nation as a top regional rail hub, with a proposed new route to reduce travel time between Bangkok and Chiang Mai to three and a half hours. This ties in well with TCEB’s goal to highlight Chiang Mai as an emerging MICE city, thanks to its outstanding natural and cultural attractions.

All in all, the future of Thailand’s MICE industry seems extremely positive and set for sustainable growth. On that note, I would like to, once again, commend the efforts of all TICA members for their contributions in making this year such a fruitful one. We would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2019, and look forward to working with you all next year.