Thailand organises mart to promote domestic meetings and incentive travel

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organising the country’s first mart designed exclusively to tap the vast potential for domestic meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions and incentives (MICE).

The mart is to be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok on July 29, 2003. It is being organised in cooperation with the newly established Convention and Exhibition Bureau and the Tourism Council of Thailand.

About 3,000 executives of Thai government agencies, trade associations, companies and multinational companies based in Thailand are expected to attend the mart to seek out products and services from among the 150 travel industry sellers who will be exhibiting at the mart.

The buyer companies will represent industries like automotive, pharmaceutical, insurance and others who organise meetings, training programmes and other such corporate events and use travel incentives as a means of motivating their staff to boost sales.

Also expected to attend are secretaries, heads of the travel sections and other corporate executives in charge of organising the domestic travel itineraries of their executives.

The mart is designed to encourage government organisations, associations and companies to first explore domestic opportunities for their meetings, seminars, incentive travel programmes and exhibitions before looking overseas. Thai Government agencies are the biggest organisers of such meetings.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will open the event with a keynote address, followed by a full day of presentations, activities and entertainment. At 16.00 hrs, a special Isan MICE Mart will be held, followed by a cocktail reception and entertainment.

Travel industry sellers have taken up about 500 booths which have been geographically arranged by region. There will be a huge variety of special offers available for buyers, especially if they book on-site and generate business within a specific time-frame.

For example, some hotels are offering one free room for every 10 paid rooms, welcome drink upon arrival for all delegates; upgrade one room to a suite; free availability of meeting materials; souvenirs for all delegates; free soft drinks during lunch or receptions (not exceeding two meals); and late checkout time to 16.00 hrs.

Amusement parks are offering one free entrance ticket for every ticket purchased at the normal price, as long as the group consists of at least 50 people. Golf courses and tour operators are also offering complimentary courses and insurance schemes.

Many of these special offers carry various terms and conditions, and most have to be redeemed before December 15, 2003.

TAT Governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan said, “The domestic MICE business has huge potential, and this is a good opportunity to develop it in order to help the Thai travel and tourism industry make a quick recovery from the recent crises.

“We expect that the growth of the MICE market will help make a valuable contribution to improving economic conditions in the provinces by distributing income through tourism-related businesses such as hotels, shops and restaurants as well as the local communities,” added Mrs Juthamas.

She noted that there is no shortage of excellent convention facilities, including the purpose-built convention centres in Bangkok and the provinces, as well as large auditoriums and sports stadiums that can be used for conventions and exhibitions. Hotel facilities in main tourism provinces are more than adequate.

The event is open only to the invited buyer organisations, exhibitors and sellers, and not to the general public.