Welcome to the August edition of the TICA newsletter. As president of TICA I am gladdened by Thailand’s continued growth in the MICE industry. Apart from the industry as a whole showing a strong year-on-year growth of 14.1 per cent in the first fiscal quarter of 2015, there is also the news that TCEB has won eight new bids to host major MICE events from 2016-18. It’s a great confidence booster for the industry. Furthermore, as Thailand continues its development as a key MICE player within the greater ASEAN community, it’s worth noting that the Thai government is moving forward to initiate the much-anticipated high-speed rail link with China.

I feel we are very blessed in Thailand to have such an abundance of amazing tourist spots, along with a valued cultural heritage. These two things have helped cement Thailand’s place as a MICE industry leader. In this newsletter we highlight a few aspects that have made the Kingdom a much sought after destination for ‘team building’. In fact, one of the reasons why we’ve chosen Kanchanaburi as our showcase destination this issue is that it offers event planners so many team building opportunities. And even though it’s very well known, it’s clear that Kanchanaburi has not entirely reached its full MICE potential. With its deep historical legacy — most notably the infamous Bridge on the River Kwai — as well as plenty of scenic beauty, and hotels with well-equipped banquet and conference halls, this region is an ideal location for MICE planners to propose to their customers. In addition, event planners should make a point of including a visit to Nakhon Phatom, home to one of the largest chedis in the world, on their Kanchanaburi agendas.

Finally, I am happy to announce that work on TICA’s upcoming bi-annual directory, entitled The MICE Guide to Thailand, has now begun. In the continuation of producing and distributing much sought after information about Thailand’s MICE industry and its major players, the MICE Guide to Thailand 2016-17 edition will combine the best of print and multi-media innovations to showcase Thailand’s MICE capabilities to the world. In addition to the print and digital versions of the directory, TICA will also be producing thousands of USB flash drives, which will have embedded on them entire MICE guide — of which the member directory is a part — as well as an array of informative, interactive videos. And if that wasn’t enough, TICA is happy to announce that it will also produce a new, updated version of its popular mobile app, which promises to be faster and better. Working together, TICA and its members can make Thailand a leading global MICE destination in the years to come.