Thailand Unveils Three Marketing Pushes to Attract Business Events

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled three initiatives to help boost awareness and confidence in Thailand as a dynamic business event destination.

The "Meetings More Memorable and Meetings Plus" campaign will target smaller groups of 25-50 delegates from longhaul markets by offering value added golf, spa, welcome receptions and cultural shows.

Secondly, a new cluster marketing drive will aggressively promote the advantages of holding events in five distinct geographical areas of Thailand: Bangkok / Pattaya, Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai, Nakon Ratchasima / Khon Kaen, Cha-Am / Hua Hin, and Phuket / Krabi / Phangnga. To support the initiative, TCEB has produced a new 174-page "Venue Variety" directory with full information about business event facilities in each location.

Thirdly, TCEB will emphasize testimonials from organizations with first-hand experience of holding recent business events in Thailand. The emphasis on building trust by via testimonials is part of TCEB's "Thailand Moving Forward" campaign launched in February.

Details on the three initiatives were revealed to media at IMEX 2009 in Frankfurt, a specialist event for the global business event industry which has attracted 3,500 exhibitors from 150 countries.

Attending IMEX, TCEB's Senior Manager for meetings and incentives, Mr Puripan Bunnag, gave details to media and industry delegates. He said, "The initiatives have been launched to rebuild confidence, add real value to meetings and incentives clients, and give assurances to event organisers who are considering Thailand again."

As part of a broad ranging update about Thailand, Mr Puripan told media at IMEX that new laws and safeguards were now in place and being enforced to protect the country's airports and meeting venues. "New insurance policies in place for all international visitors should give business event organisers and tourists additional peace of mind," he said.

TCEB now estimates that the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry in Thailand will bring in 41 billion baht (US$1.24 billion) this year and attract half a million participants.

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, MICE, Thailand