TICA MICE UPDATE

Recent developments indicate 2017 is on the way to becoming a productive year for the MICE industry in Thailand. Just last month, in January, the 10 ASEAN tourism ministers unanimously voted for Thailand to take the lead in formulating the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard. Venues are a key deciding factor for event organisers hosting major international MICE events. Five MICE cities in Thailand – Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen – have begun implementing the country’s MICE venue standards. Thailand is playing a pivotal role driving forward regional industry capabilities by being the host for the 1st ASEAN MICE Venue Standard Auditor Training in mid-March. And Chiang Mai will be host for the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2018.

As more MICE travelers are expected to come to Thailand in the coming year, the Thai government plans to spend 194 billion baht (US$5.5 billion) over the next 15 years to expand all six major airports in the country: Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phuket. The Thai government at the end of 2016 approved an infrastructure action plan worth nearly 896 billion baht (US$25 billion) that includes projects covering rail, roads, air transport and ports. Thailand’s tourism sector now makes up about 17 percent of the nation’s economy.

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has launched a new campaign – MICE Magnificent Themes – to promote Thailand as a unique destination for incentive travel. The campaign highlights the country’s diverse smorgasbord of rich experiences for business travelers. Trips to Thailand will go far beyond mere gatherings and become experiences to treasure for a lifetime.

TICA will continue to work hard to open MICE markets in Thailand. We at TICA hope our members will make excellent use of all available information to drive forward the MICE industry. Today, Thailand remains one of the most important and popular MICE destinations for planners and decision makers worldwide.