TICA MICE UPDATE

Will 2018 be a good year for the MICE industry in Thailand? According to official estimates, 30.2 million locals and foreigners are expected to go on business trips to Thailand this year, generating revenue of 174 billion Baht. Of this, 1.19 million foreigners are projected to visit Thailand in 2018, with anticipated MICE revenue of 112 billion Baht.

In this issue of TICA MICE Update, we feature Thailand’s popular east coast cities of Pattaya and Rayong. Whether travelling for a MICE event, family vacation or honeymoon, Pattaya has a plethora of attractions and facilities for recreational activities that include golf courses, temples, offshore islands and theme parks.

Though we are only in the second month of the year, Thailand has already hosted the 2018 MDRT Experience and Global Conference, bringing together around 7,000 professionals and advisors in the financial service and insurance industry. This successful event was held at the BITEC Convention Center in Bangkok from February 8th to 10th. Another important event is the ASEAN MICE Conference 2018 held in Chiang Mai at the 37th ASEAN Tourism Forum 2018 (ATF 2018). It was a great success, as the aim of this conference was to develop and exchange ideas to create guidelines for the non-capital cities which can benefit from MICE activities, and as a result, enhance the local economy’s sustainable growth.

Furthermore, our tourism infrastructure continues to grow. The number of visitors in Thailand is expected to increase to more than 40 million by 2020. I am certain that with all the natural beauty and hospitality that the Land of Smiles is famous for, and all the wonderful venues that form one of the main pillars that supports the Thai MICE industry, we will continue our growth, and of course with our joint efforts, push our industry to greater heights of success.