MEETINGS and incentive organisers can expect a new campaign of subsidies to encourage more events in Thailand following an event organised by TCEB and its partners that emphasised the values of Asian culture and togetherness.
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau president, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said that TIME 2019, an event held in Bangkok organised by TCEB, Thailand Incentive and Convention Association, and SITE Thailand Chapter, served as a platform to deliver international experiences that help expand Thailand's meetings and incentives sector.
“At TIME 2019, TCEB hosted 40 meetings and incentives events planners from the ASEAN+6 countries, which are Thailand’s main meetings and incentives source markets,” Chiruit said.
“We have come up with a coherent strategy that is consistent in positioning TCEB as a thought leader, co-creator, collaborator and partner for MICE success, all reflecting our new ‘Thailand Redefine Your Business Events’ branding.”
Chiruit said TIME (Thailand Incentive and Meetings Exchange) 2019 was organised through a collaboration with Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways and BMW (Thailand) under a “Togetherness Concept” – a joint business strategy that focuses on Asian culture, which generally values companionship and amusement as a basis for strong business relationships.
The Togetherness Concept at TIME 2019 comprised three main elements. The Knowledge Exchange seminars and the Business Exchange between 40 Thai MICE entrepreneurs and the 40 MI events planners on June 11 in Bangkok, followed by the Experience Exchange trip to experience local culture in Phuket and Phang Nga from June 12-15.
TCEB also announced a new campaign and reiterated existing ones for attendees at TIME 2019:
- The TIME to MEET campaign offers up to 500 baht (about US$16) subsidy per individual traveller or 500,000 baht per group for companies with MI groups of 50 people or more, that stay in Thailand at least three nights.
- The M&I Reward campaign offers a subsidy from 100,000 to two million baht for customers who hold MI events in Thailand at least three times a year.
- The ASEAN MaxiMICE campaign offers group privileges for 40 people or more from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines who are travelling on Thai Airways and staying at least two nights in Thailand.
- The Fly and Meet Double Bonus Redefined campaign offers up to 300,000 baht subsidy for MI groups of at least 30 people from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, who are travelling on Bangkok Airways and staying at least two nights in Thailand.
There are also souvenirs, traditional Thai welcome ceremony, MICE Lane service as other forms of support.
TIME 2019 was expected to attract over 2,000 visitors from MI segments, generating revenue up to 152 million baht (about US$4.8 million). The event is expected to increase overall MICE travellers to over 1.32 million arrivals and add more than 100 billion baht of revenue to Thailand in 2019.
According to official figures, in the first half of the 2019 fiscal year (October 2018 – March 2019), overall MICE arrivals for MI events held in Thailand totalled 348,645, representing 58 per cent of overall international MICE visitors. These generated approximately 25.7 billion baht for Thailand, representing 57 per cent of total MICE revenue.
