South Korea taps Vietnam MICE

HANOI, 15 December 2011: South Korea has started to tap the high potential of MICE tourism from Vietnam.

South Korea Tourism Association held a road show, earlier this month, to introduce MICE tourism to Vietnamese firms with new products and services.

According to Korean National Tourism Administration, Vietnam has a high economic growth rate and political stability, when compared with other countries in Southeast Asia. Read more

TCEB woos more exhibitions

BANGKOK, 23 September 2011 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau launched a Bt85 million project, The Next Best Shows,  to draw more exhibitions to Thailand and generate Bt14,billion in tourism related revenue by 2014.

TCEB will spend Bt85 million supporting new exhibitions with Bt22 million in 2012; Bt25 million in 2013 and Bt38 million in 2014.

Initially, it is understood 20 exhibitions could qualify, but it was not explained if they were new exhibitions, or companies already hosting events in the country. Read more

TCEB makes MICE hubs

UBON RATCHATHANI, 1 September 2011 -  Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s MICE-Believe in Thailand project, is expanding to include Ubon Ratchathani.

The campaign has a lofty objective to promote the northeast town as an events hub for the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The town is about 100 km west from the border with southern Laos and 150 km north of the Cambodian border. There are no large towns in either of the two neighbouring countries that could deliver delegates to events in Ubon.

TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, explains the strategy claiming it will upgrade the “business model and boost the overall economy at macro level,” which in turn will help boost Thailand’s share of the international MICE market. Read more

Hu Hin hot for luxury MICE

BANGKOK, 5 August 2011 -Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has selected Hua Hin, in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, as its top resort destination suitable to attract “luxury MICE” business.

TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, said according to the new luxury MICE campaign which was launched, last May, Hua Hin was designated a priority area to focus on high-end European MICE visitors, through its Believe in Thailand campaign and marketing roadshows.

He said Europe was a major long-haul market for Thailand’s tourism and MICE industries accounting for about 13% of overall MICE visitors to the country. Read more

CDM joins euromic network

BANGKOK, 5 July 2011 – Euromic, an international consortium specialising in MICE travel and destination management, appointed Creative Destination Management, 1 July, as its Southeast Asian affiliate.

According to euromic, CDM will coordinate programmes with local operators in neighboring destinations of Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Euromic, founded in 1973, boasts membership in 37 destinations: Austria, the Baltic States, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia and Turkey, plus World Affiliates in Argentina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, India, South Africa and now Thailand.

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TCEB promises superior intelligence

BANGKOK, 28 June 2011 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau will spend between Bt70 to Bt90 million to develop an information centre and market intelligence unit to provide comprehensive marketing data and other crucial information to give the country a competitive edge in bidding.

That’s the plan according to TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, who claims the bureau’s Intelligence Centre project “will be vital for MICE operators and related organisations both in Thailand and overseas.”

Industry leaders will ask how he intends to share the data and if the bureau will ultimately put a price tag on market intelligence or distribute it freely through the travel industry. Read more

Oceania MICE on the move

BANGKOK, 3 March 2011 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau expects event related visits from Oceania markets to increase 5.84% to 43,200, while generating an estimated revenue of Bt2.88 billion this year.

TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, said the “Oceania MICE markets have considerable potential for Thailand particularly from Australia and New Zealand”.

TCEB has identified the market as a priority to expand events related business based on strong growth trends in 2010 and signs that both Australia and New Zealand will deliver more  incentives and off-shore corporate meetings later this year.

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TCEB bullish on events market

BANGKOK, 4 January 2011 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s ‘Believe in Thailand’ campaign could deliver a 15 to 20% growth in the meetings market this year, although success would depend on political stability.

According to TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, the campaign should secure 720,000 visits for events related travel, generating revenue of Bt56,000 million in 2011.

Success will largely depend on the country maintaining a stable political environment, but with national elections due later in the year tourism industry leaders are cautious on the business outlook for 2011.

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Signs of a profit for ITB Asia

SINGAPORE 22 October 2010 — ITB Asia 2010 should turn around the corner to financial health and record a small profit this year, Messe Berlin vice president, Martin Buck, reported Friday.

Mr Buck said it was too early to provide exact figures, but he was confident that the three-year old show was achieving “organic growth”.

“This is not a bubble we can see steady growth, from a loss in the first year to almost breakeven in year two. This year we have gravitational pull, as the Singapore Tourist Board describes it.”

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Bid to rebuild meetings

BANGKOK, 15 June 2010 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has introduced incentives and discounts to rebuild the events business in Thailand.

Branded “Extra Night, Extra Smile” the campaign specifically targets 16 markets in Asia Pacific and valid until December.

The campaign will be promoted through road shows and participation in key trade shows in ASEAN Plus Six countries. The six countries outside the ASEAN bloc are: China; Japan; Korea; India; Australia and New Zealand.

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