Dear TICA Members,

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to TCEB for the honor of receiving the Thailand Meetings Leadership Award. This recognition is deeply meaningful, and I accept it on behalf of all TICA members. It is not an individual achievement, but a reflection of the collective dedication, resilience, and hard work of our entire community – every stakeholder who has contributed tirelessly to advancing Thailand’s MICE industry.

At the same time, in light of ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and rising operational costs, I would like to encourage all members to strengthen our collective efforts. Sustaining the resilience and competitiveness of Thailand’s MICE industry will require continued collaboration and unity, especially as we strive to maintain the strong momentum we have built since the beginning of 2025.

I would also like to extend my congratulations to both TCEB and all TICA members for our enduring and successful partnership – most notably in elevating MICE Day into a full-fledged MICE Week this year. As we mark our 24th year of collaboration, this milestone stands as a testament not only to our shared commitment, but also to the significant progress we have achieved together.

As a private-sector organization representing seasoned professionals across the MICE value chain, TICA remains committed to contributing its expertise and insights to further strengthen this important platform. We firmly believe that close collaboration among all stakeholders continues to be Thailand’s greatest competitive advantage on the global stage.

Despite an increasingly complex global environment, Thailand’s MICE industry continues to demonstrate resilience and adaptability. Under the leadership of TCEB, we remain aligned with our 2026 targets of 29.4 million travelers and 163 billion THB in revenue. While ambitious, these goals reflect our collective confidence in Thailand’s enduring appeal as a leading global MICE destination.

Recent geopolitical developments, particularly the situation in Middle East,have understandably created challenges. We are seeing disruptions in global aviation, rising airfares—especially on long-haul routes and operational adjustments by major airlines. Higher fuel costs have also placed additional pressure on both international travel and domestic event logistics.

Encouragingly, our industry has responded with agility. There is a noticeable shift toward regional markets, with organizers prioritizing destinations that offer stability, accessibility, and strong value. Thailand is well positioned in this regard. Our connectivity within Asia, combined with our diverse venues and high service standards, continues to make us an attractive and reliable choice.

On the ground, our stakeholders have shown commendable flexibility. We are seeing increased use of efficient transport solutions, including rail access to key venues such as BITEC and IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. At the same time, our strong commitment to sustainability – particularly in advancing Net Zero Carbon events – is gaining meaningful traction with global organisers.

While there has been some short-term softening in arrivals from certain markets, this is not unexpected given current global conditions. Importantly, the fundamentals of Thailand’s MICE sector remain solid, underpinned by strong public-private collaboration.

At this juncture, it is also important that we sharpen our focus on high-potential regional markets – particularly China and India. These short-haul markets offer significant depth, strong outbound demand, and the advantage of more accessible and cost-effective connectivity. They are well positioned to help offset any temporary slowdown from long-haul markets such as the United States and Europe. By strengthening our engagement, partnerships, and targeted marketing efforts in these key markets, we can sustain our momentum and unlock new avenues for growth.

I remain confident that, together, we will continue to turn challenges into opportunities. By staying agile, deepening regional engagement, and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and innovation, Thailand is not just keeping pace – we are moving forward with strength and purpose on the global MICE stage.