Thailand accelerates the expansion of “Exhibition Center” area TCEB’s confidence in the “MICE industry” to boost “national economy”

Previously, countries with a high economic growth rate and continuous expansion of gross domestic product (GDP) such as countries in Europe, America, or some Asian countries today all establish the MICE industry as a main platform for the countries. According to the Reed’s Japan report in the seminar “4th AFECA AGM & FORUM 2009” at Daejong, Korea during 23rd-25th September, it indicates the importance of the MICE industry and exhibition venues that they are in direct relation to GDP value. The seminar also illustrated the importance of the MICE industry in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of China. Germany climbed up the GDP ladder to be the second ranked in GDP growth of the world in 1960 from being ranked 50^th rank, this in a space of just 13 years. China’s GDP statistics also depicted rapid growth during the past 20 years. According to the figures, China had exhibition venue space of 1,867,000 square meters and a GDP of only 413,000 yuan in 1990, however, the exhibition venue space has increased dramatically to 3,634,000 square meters with 41,121,000 yuan GDP value in 2009.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, International Exhibitions Director and Acting Director of the TCEB, stated about the importance of exhibition venues, “According to the latest survey by UFI in 2008 on Asian countries consisting of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the survey found that this region has 23 exhibition venues in total, covering 524,753 square meters. It is pleasing that Thailand has a high exhibition venue space, up to 40% of the total regional exhibition venue space, equivalent to 209,905 square meters, which comprises of 7 international exhibition venues such as IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Royal Paragon Hall Exhibition & Convention Center, Bangkok Convention Centre (BCC) at CentralWorld, Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH), and Prince of Songkhla University International Convention Center.”

The total number of exhibition venue space brought numerous amounts of value and income to Thailand, estimated to be worth 6,861,000,000 Baht in total from organizing 71 international exhibition events in the previous year.

“The area expansion and the increase in the number of international exhibition centers in Thailand will be a beneficial factor contributing to the growth of Thai MICE industry, as well as boosting the country’s economy to be strengthened stably again. It is expected that the increase in exhibition centers and the expansion of exhibition center areas will be able to support up to 200 exhibition events for the MICE industry and create an income of 7,574 million Baht for the country, which will speedily increase GDP value back to normal in Thailand during 2010. These results are attributed to the facts that the MICE industry is a crucial business platform to stimulate all the systems of both export and tourism sectors through quality business travelers,” added Mrs. Supawan.

The area expansion and the increase in the number of international exhibition centers in Thailand is another important method which will promote the better growth of Thai MICE industry. This is because these new convention and exhibition centers are all constructed in important trade cities such as Chiangmai, Khonkaen, Phuket, and Songkhla, which will make Thailand have a city of MICE in every region, giving more varied and full-scale choices for exhibition organizers to choose the location and geography of where to hold exhibitions, and better satisfying needs for each event. For example, the PIMEX 2010 or the Phuket International Marine Expo, an in-water display that gathers all luxury motor yachts, charter boats, and most modern marine accessories and equipment of South East Asia.

Today, the TCEB is well aware and trying to push the MICE industry to be an important platform to boost the country’s overall economy. With the potential and readiness of Thailand in the knowledge of worth-spending money on organising exhibition, a variety of exhibition venues surrounded by beautiful and famous attractions, combined with the generous and cordial service of Thai people, these factors ignite and reflect a new perspective of Thailand in the eyes of MICE travelers -- a quality market—to see the potential and readiness of Thailand to be a successful country in the Asian region as a center of convention and exhibition in the future.