TCEB Launches New ‘Thailand’s MICE Rewards’ Scheme

• Scheme highlights TCEB’s full support to boost confidence of international community
• Three international online campaigns to enhance Thailand as a premiere MICE destination
• The Middle East represents a fastest-growing MICE market, up by 525% in the first quarter of the 2014 fiscal year

Abu Dhabi / 25 March 2014 - The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), or TCEB, has announced the introduction of the special ‘Thailand’s MICE Rewards’ package with exciting promotions – running from now until September 2014 – in a clear show of confidence in Thailand’s world-renowned MICE industry.

Making the announcement during the GIBTM 2014 held in Abu Dhabi, Ms. Parichat Svetasreni, director of marketing and corporate image of TCEB, remarked that, “TCEB is pleased to be introducing the Thailand’s MICE Rewards package for organizers throughout the world, including those from the important Middle East market. The scheme also complements our three new online campaigns. We are confident that together, these boost our MICE performance even further in 2014.”

, remarked that, “TCEB is pleased to be introducing the Thailand’s MICE Rewards package for organizers throughout the world, including those from the important Middle East market. The scheme also complements our three new online campaigns. We are confident that together, these boost our MICE performance even further in 2014.”

Key elements of the ‘Thailand’s MICE Rewards’ scheme include ‘Meetings Bonus’, which offers organisers generous financial subsidies for groups of 200 or more delegates who visit Thailand for three nights or longer to attend corporate meetings or incentive travel; and the ‘Conventions Bonus’, which offers associations, PCOs, governments and educational institutions significant financial subsidies for groups of 300 or more delegates to international conventions held in Thailand. Complementing these are TCEB’s ‘Business Up 2 U’ initiative, a fixed subsidy programme for exhibitions based on their previous years’ performance which offers them TCEB’s guaranteed support; and ‘Be My Guest’, which aims to attract high-quality, international exhibition buyers and visitors with financial support for room night allocation, up to a maximum of two room nights per person per exhibition.

The scheme has been introduced at the end of a challenging time for the industry, Ms. Svetasreni noted. “Earlier this month, anti-government demonstrators ended their campaign and confined activities to just a few areas, so roads in central Bangkok are now back to operating normally. As always, the professional and experienced TCEB team does its utmost to offer assistance to MICE delegates, and we are confident that with our full support, business travellers will find comfort in our genuine Thai hospitality and world-class facilities.”

Complementing the scheme is TCEB’s online marketing plan for 2014, with 3 key campaigns.  In recognition of the potential of online media to empower Thailand’s MICE industry to offer relevant information to target groups worldwide, the online marketing plan aims to enhance Thailand’s image and create awareness of Thailand as the premiere destination for MICE among international markets.

“Our online marketing plan prioritizes participation in online marketing activities by the private sector of the MICE industry, including organisers, MICE travellers, foreign business partners and entrepreneurs,” Ms. Svetasreni added.

TCEB’s online international marketing activities include 3 key campaigns:

1. Spice Up Your Business Agenda: a special privilege campaign, which draws collaboration from TCEB, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International Plc, Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and VISA Inc. The collaboration will pool privileges, various products and services, such as air tickets, airport shuttle, golf, spa, entertainment and internet service, especially for registered MICE travellers joining exhibition fairs in Thailand. These special offers will ensure a pleasant experience for MICE travellers, while Thailand will benefits from increased spending because of longer duration of stays in Thailand. The Spice Up Your Business Agenda campaign will officially kick off in April 2014.

2. Dream Meeting Contest: A viral marketing campaign, utilizing Facebook. Groups of participants (a maximum of five participants per group) can upload their photos to TCEB’s pre-selected backgrounds showcasing Thai culture with relevance to meetings, incentive travel and conventions, and add catchy tag lines. The most ‘Liked’ photos will receive special air tickets and hotel prizes for the group of five to destinations within Thailand. This campaign will officially kick off in August 2014.

3. Itinerary Contest: A pre- or post-tour program design competition. The Itinerary Contest will provide a platform to showcase creativity in choosing agenda items, destinations, and recreational activities especially for incentive groups travelling in Thailand. Five shortlisted entries chosen by TCEB’s judging committee will compete in the final voting round. The itinerary with the highest votes will win a grand prize, consisting of air tickets and hotel prizes for two to enjoy travel in Thailand. This campaign will officially kick off in May 2014.

All campaigns are designed to give a further boost to the already strong performance of Thailand’s MICE industry. In reporting results for the first quarter of the 2014 fiscal year (October to December 2013), the bureau noted that the Middle East represented the country’s fastest-growing MICE market, jumping by 525%. During the quarter, Thailand welcomed 186,864 MICE travellers, contributing more than US$534.4 million into the country’s economy. Compared to the same period in 2013, visitor numbers and revenue grew a healthy 5.16 per cent and 6.16 per cent respectively.

During the 2013 fiscal year, a total of 1,013,502 MICE visitors were attracted by Thailand’s endless choice of business destinations, global standards of service, and diverse business opportunities. Asia itself accounted for 72% of Thailand’s MICE visitors, and grew strongly by 20.25% last year.

Highlighting the importance of the Middle East region, Ms. Svetasreni remarked that, “TCEB’s presence at GIBTM 2014 demonstrates the importance we place on the region as part of our international outreach program. In 2013 we welcomed more than one million MICE travellers from all over the world, including 15,000 from Middle East, a number we expect to grow by 5 per cent in 2014.

Further demonstrating the strong position of the industry during this time, TCEB also shared the diverse line-up of confirmed major MICE activities in Thailand in 2014, including incentive travel events such as the Unicity Global Convention, international conventions such as the 3rd Global Congress for Consensus in Paediatrics and Child Health, The 10th International Mycological Congress (IMC) and the FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014. Confirmed international exhibitions and trade fairs this year include INTERMACH 2014, ProPak Asia 2014 and Food & Hotel Thailand 2014, among others.

“The MICE industry has always played a key role in driving the broader economy. I am confident that the Thailand MICE Rewards effort, our online marketing campaigns, as well as our many other market promotions, will help drive further MICE sector growth. In 2014, TCEB forecasts growth in MICE visitor numbers of five per cent to a total of 987,000 visitors by year-end, with revenue up 10 per cent to US $3.23 billion,” Ms. Parichat concluded.

Connect with Thailand and Discover the Dynamic Abundance of Asia’s Linkages at the Thailand Pavilion  no. E 20, from 24-26 March 2014 (10am – 6pm), at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

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About TCEB

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB takes the lead on behalf of the Thai government in the development and success of Thailand’s MICE sector. Established in 2004, TCEB works to drive growth, elevate quality standards and inspire creativity in the industry. TCEB offers a range of advisory services and attractive support packages to contribute to the success and productivity of business events held in Thailand. This includes global outreach to build collaboration across a global network of MICE players. TCEB strives to create new business opportunities and lay the foundations for long-term, sustainable industry growth.

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For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Division, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)  

Ms Arisara Thanuplang                 

Tel:  +66 2 694 6095                         

Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th

Mr Pishnu Plaikaew                     

Tel:  +66 2 694 6000                         

Email: pishnu_p@tceb.or.th