Thailand MICE Capabilities Roadmap 2017 Unveiled To Develop High Quality Professionals and Leverage Industry Standards

17 February 2017, Bangkok: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB unveiled its strategic roadmap to further drive the Thai MICE industry’s capabilities to meet with the rapid growth of MICE businesses in Thailand and ASEAN. By highlighting two key strategic plans including to develop high quality MICE professionals, and to leverage industry standards as a whole, TCEB also aims to position Thailand as the ASEAN MICE education hub, and the premier destination for MICE standardisation in the region.

Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB said that, “2017 marks an important milestone for TCEB, as the bureau prioritises capabilities building for the MICE industry to be in line with the country’s strategy to support the role the MICE industry plays as a key driver of economic growth. We have identified two key strategic plans with four corresponding strategies. Firstly, to develop high quality MICE professionals, TCEB will focus on education for target groups, nurturing human resources and professionals to meet the demands of the MICE industry by implementing two strategies including Trade Education targeting MICE professionals and executives, and MICE Academy for education institutes and students. Secondly, to leverage industry standards as a whole, TCEB will emphasize two strategies including MICE Standards, and MICE Sustainability. Both strategic plans are put in place to drive Thailand’s leadership position as the MICE education hub, and the premier destination for MICE standardisation in the region.”

Ms. Nichapa Yoswee, director of MICE Capabilities Department, TCEB provided details of the 4 initiatives which include 1) Trade Education: Aims at enabling Thailand to be a host country for international MICE training courses for MICE operators in the meetings, conventions and events sectors. TCEB has been instrumental in making major MICE professional certificate programmes available in Thailand such as Certified Exhibitions Management (CEM), and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). This will not only help propel Thailand’s leadership position as the ASEAN MICE Education Hub but also reaffirm to MICE travellers that business events in Thailand will be operated by highly qualified and certified professionals. These programmes will help uplift Thai MICE professional capabilities to meet international standards. Additionally, TCEB has also initiated the MICE National Skills Standard by working closely with the Department of Skills Development, Ministry of Labour to develop the world’s first such standard for individuals, targeting service providers and electricians for the MICE industry (meetings and incentives, and exhibitions), which will be introduced in 2017 to meet the growth of the MICE industry.

2) MICE Academy: TCEB is moving forward to develop the Event 101 Curriculum to provide comprehensive knowledge on event management. The new curriculum will be integrated into the teaching programmes of more than 60 universities and 47 vocational colleges partnering with TCEB. The curriculum has been included in the Thai Education Standard Development Framework under the supervision of the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC), Ministry of Education. The Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher Education will enable higher education institutions to provide more MICE and event curriculum. Also, TCEB is spearheading an effort to drive five vocational colleges to offer High Vocational Certificate Courses in Tourism Industry, with a Major in meetings and exhibitions. These endeavours will help produce a new generation of more than 4,000 university graduates and 1,000 college graduates dedicated to the Thai MICE sector.

3) MICE Standards: TCEB will further extend the adoption of the Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TVMS) – Meeting Room, especially in the five MICE Cities, and other high potential cities in line with the government’s clusters. This year will also mark the beginning of the assessment of the exhibition venue category and the development of the special event venue category.

At a regional level, the 10 ASEAN tourism ministers voted for Thailand, through TCEB, to lead the development of the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (AMVS). During 15-18 March 2017, Thailand will host the 1st ASEAN MICE Venue Standard Auditor Training to provide insights into assessment and certification processes. In 2018, Thailand will also host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2018) in Chiang Mai. This event will provide a platform to provide certification for MICE operators from 10 member countries’ recipients of the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard. Furthermore, TCEB is developing the Food Waste Prevention Standard to encourage MICE operators to reduce and better manage food wastage, in accordance with the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

4) MICE Sustainability: TCEB will focus on the Sustainable Events Professional Certificate (SEPC) to help expand the knowledge and skills of sustainability professionals in the context of environment, society, and economy for the MICE industry. This programme will be launched in Thailand in 2018. Moreover, the Farm to Functions campaign will further emphasize the use of organic products from organic farmers among MICE operators, and the promotion of Carbon Neutral Events will see five events that can help reduce carbon emission by 100 tons.'

“The 2 strategic plans and 4 initiatives for the development of Thai MICE Capabilities will play an important role in helping to leverage Thailand’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, and to drive Thailand’s leadership position as the ASEAN MICE Hub. With the establishment of the ASEAN MICE Institute, tasked with defining and certifying industry standards, as well as designing development programmes for MICE operators and professionals, Thailand will benefit from competitive advantages at an international level. The MICE capabilities development plans are integral parts of helping to attract 1.1 million MICE travellers, earning the Thai economy a total of 101 billion baht in 2017,” concluded Mr. Nopparat.

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Overview of MICE Capabilities Development in 2016

Trade Education

• Graduation of 57 professionals in Certified Exhibitions Management (CEM), 49 Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP) and 586 professionals in the International Certification Program

MICE Academy

• The Coach the Coaches Programme for 691 instructors and teachers from 349 organisations
• The MICE Academy & Career Day opened opportunities for MICE curriculum graduates with more than 300 vacancies

MICE Standards

• Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) - Meeting Room welcomed 341 certified meeting rooms from 142 venues, covering convention centers, hotels and resorts, and meeting facilities across the country
• Two years after its inception, at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2017 or ATF 2017 (45th Meeting of ASEAN The ASEAN NTOs and Related Meetings and 20th Meeting of The ASEAN Tourism Ministries and Related Meetings), all 10 ASEAN tourism ministers unanimously voted for Thailand, through TCEB, to lead the development of the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (AMVS), based on the model of the Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS). This is an important milestone for Thailand at the forefront of the MICE industry in ASEAN.

MICE Sustainability

• The Farm to Functions campaign successfully encouraged MICE operators to purchase organic produce directly from organic farmers. A total of 300 tons of organic rice, valued at 12 million baht were sold during the campaign, helping disperse income to more than 300 families of Thai farmers.