AFTER THE SUNRISE AT EASTERN MICE CORRIDOR: THE EMERGING PATTAYA MICE CITY
Thailand welcomed more than eight million corporate business travelers in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, an increase of 2.9% year-on-year. International MICE travelers in period ended March stood at 353, 256, up 11 per cent. (Source:The Bangkok Post)
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is the driving force in transforming Thailand a leader MICE destination in the ASEAN region. After the inaugural ceremony held last year (9 October, 2018) in which the TCEB announced the guidelines with an implementation of Economic Mice Corridor3 (EMC3) model, driving Thailand towards economy 4.0 by creating venues for conferences, conventions, exhibitions, and Mega events in the economic zone of the three Eastern provinces namely Chachoengsao, Chonburi (Pattaya-City) and Rayong. TCEB recognized the MICE industry to become instrumental in facilitating and supporting businesses and the S-curve industries in EEC at every point in their growth trajectory.
Moving on, recently TCEB spotlights Pattaya MICE City to raise the Eastern MICE Metropolitan through enhancing the image of Pattaya City to reflect its potential as an ideal MICE City – the heart of the Easterm Mice Corridor and accelerate future growth of Thailand’s MICE in line with the Government’s EEC scheme. Among the top cities with largest number of MICE travelers, Pattaya City has been ranked 3rd after Phuket.Aiming to oversee MICE in the special administration region, the ASEAN MICE Institute is set to be inaugurated alongside TCEB’s first branch office in Thailand.
Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President, TCEB, said: “As an initiation of Thai government, The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is considered one of Thailand’s mega projects for the development of commerce in the eastern economic corridor. Ranging from the expansion of U-Tapao Airport to major infrastructures connecting ground, sea and air transport systems that embrace 3 provinces together, including Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao, these movements are main supporting factors for leveraging the development of MICE businesses in Pattaya City. The prosperity of Pattaya as a MICE City will help to distribute growth and revenue into communities . . . “
The joint collaboration represents a complete integration of operations, spanning the development and promotion of MICE markets, co-production of bidding plans to attract international conventions, occupational meetings, trade shows, mega events to world-class events held by key industries pinned under the government’s 4.0 policy. These collective efforts aim to form the arena for business dealings, as well as knowledge and technology exchanges. Additionally, the expansion of Thailand’s preeminent industries will be promoted in the EEC region, such as airshow events, PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2019 and so on. Pattaya City will receive overseas promotion at collaborative MICE trade shows, including those held in Germany, USA, Spain, and more.
Further, in the Fiscal Year 2020, TCEB has prepared to launch an integrated project to promote MICE businesses in the EEC with collaboration from the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (ECCO), which highlights the development of routes for pre- and post- activities, the design of incentives trips for business people and CSR activities. The project is an extension of the 7MICE Magnificent Themes, whereby MICE events are mainly organised at the venues and spaces within Pattaya’s locales, such as Ban Takhian Tia Community Enterprise, Na Kluea communities, etc. Allocation of project development budget has been spared at over 6.5 million baht.
TCEB President further explained that owing to the success of Thailand: REDEFINE Your Business Events, which is a promotional marketing campaign launched in 2019, TCEB is set to revamp Pattaya City into a complete MICE metropolitan, embracing market promotion and the development of venue standards and MICE personnel to serve the growth of business events. Not only colleges, universities and vocational institutions, but MICE courses and trainings are also taught systematically at the ASEAN MICE Institute, which was founded to make the EEC soar as the centre of MICE capability development in this region, as well as to bolster Thailand to grow as the hub of business events of ASEAN.
For the time being, TCEB is examining market conditions and the readiness of MICE development in the EEC in regard to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of an international convention centre, as well as to custom a MICE Model that especially fits the EEC region. The endeavours are responsive to the government’s stipulation of EEC as an investment promotion region for MICE and a MICE-related law relaxed region that facilitates the holding of events, conventions and exhibitions within the EEC districts. Additionally, privileges are offered to attract event organisers and target business travellers from both Thailand and overseas.
“Pattaya City substantially gives priority to the development of MICE businesses. TCEB has joined hands with Pattaya City to seek the direction to establish TCEB branch office in Pattaya, which also serves as a coordination centre for the comprehensive propelling of MICE in the east of Thailand, respecting to encourage co-operation in the development and promotion of MICE businesses in Pattaya City and across the EEC in an immersive and consistent manner.” said Mr. Chiruit.
In 2018, Pattaya registered an enormous amount of MICE revenue of 16,064 million baht, with the number of foreign MICE travelers of 169,629 and another 1,789,966 visitors from Thailand.
To further development, TCEB’s president alongside the four FCAs, Thailand recently signed an MoU with the FCA (Foreign Chamber Alliance; representing Australia, Germany, US and UK) to push the development of the country’s MICE business in longhaul markets. He said: “(The) FCA has more than 20,000 members that include businessmen, investors, entrepreneurs from business, industrial and service sectors, such as Minor Hotels Group, Accor Hotels Group, Marriott Hotels Group, convention centres business, as well as oil, mining, pharmaceutical, automobile and other industries.”
Calling these “high potential business groups”, Chiruit believes that they will help propel the national economy as they have already been included among the S-curve targeted industries that the Thai government is eyeing, in line with its 4.0 policy.
This is the very first time that the Foreign Chamber Alliance has signed an MoU with a Thai government agency. With this MoU, the framework for the development of the business events sector will comprise five areas of operation, including exchanges of statistics and MICE events, MICE business development, MICE market promotion, MICE business research, and MICE personnel development. TCEB’s next step is to discuss with FCA on the preparation of Phase I work plan, which will last two years.
TIME 2019
TCEB, alongwith TICA and SITE Thailand Chapter, joined hands with leading business partners to hold the mega event ‘TIME 2019’ from 10 – 15 June this year. The event is stepping into its 4th year with the concept of Togetherness – merging the capabilities of all sectors in Thailand towards expanding the collaboration on a regional level and differentiation to penetrate into ASEAN+6 markets. TIME 2020 is likely to be held in June, follow update and TCEB Events on the link:
https://www.meetinthailand.com/mice/tceb-thailand
From January 2019 to March 2019, Thailand’s business events sector – with 193 events has been ranked 4th globally by ICCA for international conventions in Asia, after Japan, China and South Korea.
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