Thai MICE industry posts growth

Thailand’s Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector has soared to Asia’s no. 4 for international conventions with the number of meetings that reached 193.

In second quarter of 2019, Thai MICE has continually grown in terms of volume and revenue. The number of domestic and foreign MICE travellers totalling 8 million has contributed to the rise of total revenue by 6.27% or 50 billon baht in value. The stability well reflects popularity and confidence In Thailand as the region’s leading MICE destination. TCEB is moving on to implement main strategy to penetrate into the ASEAN+6, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) and European markets with the revenue goal of 220 billion baht in 2019.  

Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), disclosed about the 2018 report of International Congress and Convention Association – ICCA that Thai MICE has moved up to no. 4 of Asia for international conventions with 193 events, ranking just behind Japan, China and Korea, but soaring as no. 1 among ASEAN countries. The movement obviously reflects an advancement from 2017 as Thailand was ranked no. 5 of Asia with the number of international conventions of 171.  

In addition, the 2018 report of International Congress and Convention Association indicated that Bangkok ranked no. 2 (with 135 events), Chiang Mai no. 25 (25 events) and Pattaya no. 60 (11 events) of Asia for international conventions on provincial scale.

International MICE markets registered 353,256 MICE travellers, which generated 26,703 million baht of revenue. Meetings market marked the highest number of MICE travellers. Domestic MICE market registered MICE travellers of 7,752,864, generating 28,069 million baht of revenue. Majority of them represented international Exhibitions category.

Agencies