TravTalk India Online Magazine
After recording overwhelming response to its ‘Convene in Paradise’ campaign from India, the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau has extended it for another year for trade.
HAZEL JAIN
When the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) launched its campaign ‘Convene in Paradise’ in India to encourage MICE agents and corporate houses to send their groups to Thailand, it had planned to float it only for two years. But the response in that duration was so overwhelming that TCEB has announced another year’s extension until 2018.
The scheme targets large-scale events with more than 1,000 people who would get financial support from TCEB to the tune of approximately Rs. 2 million (or Thai Baht 1 million). Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, Director, Conventions Department, TCEB, who was in India with a huge delegation recently, said, “The convention and conference market in India is huge. It stands at number 2 for MICE in the top-10 list for international source markets for Thailand only after China. Our focus is to develop the association business from India to Thailand. On this visit to India, I met a few associations in New Delhi where we conducted a presentation to show what TCEB and Thailand can do for them. Close to 70 associations attended, which included associations like Indian Paint and Coating Association, The Textile Association, etc.”
“The convention and conference market in India is huge. It stands at number 2 for MICE in the top-10 list for the international source markets for Thailand only after China”- Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, Director, Conventions Department, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
She added that the numbers for conventions from India has dropped a bit in the last year because of certain changes in the tax policy in India that has impacted businesses. TCEB is also promoting newer destinations in Thailand for conventions. This includes five MICE cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Khom Kaen. “Khom Kaen is an upcoming destination and a new one for India. It is the north-eastern province close to Vietnam and Cambodia. It also has a new convention and exhibition centre which is ready. Another new mega project that we are promoting is in Bangkok called ICONSIAM. This includes a shopping mall, a resident tower, and a convention facility among others and will be completed in 2019,” she adds. Soonthornsaratoon also revealed that India will see added investment from TCEB in its market in order to increase the volume of trade between the two countries.
DID YOU KNOW?
World of Tourism
- Tourism has boasted virtually uninterrupted growth over time, despite occasional shocks, demonstrating the sector’s strength and resilience. International tourist arrivals have increased from 25 million globally in 1950 to 278 million in 1980, 674 million in 2000, and 1235 million in 2016.
- International tourism receipts earned by destinations worldwide have surged from $ 2 billion in 1950 to $ 104 billion in 1980, $ 495 billion in 2000, and $ 1,220 billion in 2016.
Convene in Paradise
- Targets events with more than 1000 people
- TCEB supports such events with about Rs. 2 million
