TCEB accelerates ASEAN success through Thailand CONNECT The World familiarization trip

Thailand tourism officials and business insiders meet the media group at the event.[Photo by Ye Jun/China Daily]

As the top destination in Asia-Pacific for three consecutive years (2013-2015) according to the MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index, Bangkok – the quintessential Asian MICE metropolis – is intertwining multi-faceted landscape of the Thai Capital showcasing the vibrancy of city’s downtown and high rises complimented by world-class accommodations, facilities, and venues, and the Chao Phraya riverside highlighting the rise of new iconic and luxurious developments that help contribute to the revitalization of Thailand’s majestic waterway.

With its Phase 1 of the 20-year development plan, Bangkok will enable a positive change to welcome business events travelers as a City for All, providing cultural opportunities through a wide variety of cultural and heritage shows, as an Economic and Learning Centre, positioning as world-class destination through facility enhancement and development to accommodate the business event industry.

Nopparat added that, “TCEB commits to driving the Thai business events sector by highlighting the capabilities and readiness of five MICE Cities, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Khon Kaen, as well as other leading destinations in Thailand. The introduction of new business events destinations such as Khao Yai, will not only be another building block of Thai business events’ success providing discerning business events travelers and organizers alike with program that offers delegates the opportunity to enjoy Thailand’s best-kept attractions.”

During the 2014 fiscal year, from October 2013 to September 2014, Thailand attracted a total of 919,164 business events visitors, generating revenue of $2.69 billion. The momentum continued to grow in the first half of the 2015 fiscal year – October 2014 to March 2015 – when Thailand welcomed 476,079 business events visitors, generating revenue of $1.24 billion. The top 10 source markets included India, Singapore, Laos, Malaysia, US, China, the Philippines, Korea, Indonesia, and France.

Together with the Thailand CONNECT The World, and Thailand’s MICE United II campaigns, as well as other market development initiatives, TCEB expects Thailand to welcome 1,036,300 business events travelers (a 17 percent increase from 2014 targets), earning to the Thai economy a total of $3.55 billion (a 22 per cent increase from 2014 targets) in 2015.