Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Directorate General for National Export Development (DGNED) at Trade Expo Indonesia 2012.
JAKARTA – Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) inaugurates its first official collaboration with Indonesia’s exhibition industry through the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Directorate General for National Export Development (DGNED) at Trade Expo Indonesia 2012. The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding is to jointly promote and enhance cooperation in the trade exhibitions through communication and discussion, and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. The agreement is in line with TCEB’s strategic approach under the “ASEAN MICE Collaboration” aimed at promoting the MICE industry in the region, as well as ensuring that ASEAN MICE industry is ready to become the world’s leader.
The MoU would prepare the way to establish a long-term mutually purposeful affiliation; especially in Exhibition Industry in particular; in facilitation to delegates in exhibition and trade events, support in cross-promotion, exchanging market surveys in ASEAN, and exchanging of trade exhibition information and related supported campaigns.
Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Director of Exhibition Department at TCEB, said that “As a government agency dedicated to promoting the MICE industry where Exhibitions have played the vital role in country’s economy and industry’s development, TCEB is keenly aware of the importance of regional cooperation to boost the growth of the industry. We expect the forthcoming economic integration within ASEAN in 2015 to drive a major expansion of the exhibition industry in Southeast Asia, and it is therefore crucial to develop multifaceted bilateral cooperation with other member countries to contribute to ASEAN prosperity and development in the region.”
Indonesia is currently ranked 6th as global trade partners with Thailand. The trade value between the two countries is worth around 17 billion US dollars in 2011. Indonesia also ranks sixth among Asian nations in term of visitors attending Thailand’s exhibitions. Indonesia visitors accounted for 7.4 percent of total overseas visitor attending Thailand’s exhibitions in 2011.
“The signing of MoU with TCEB will help boost relations between the two countries, especially in term of the Trade Exhibition Industry via the bilateral cooperation and business development policies. By the cooperation, DGNED will work closely with TCEB to encourage trade promotion and exhibition in Indonesia and Thailand in order to support the 2 countries enterprises community for their business development. This collaboration will help enhance mutual economic benefits. It is, in addition, significant that ASEAN members should help facilitate one another in order to prosper from the region’s advancement”, added Gusmardi Bustami, Director General of National Export Development Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia
According to “The Trade Fair Industry of Asia 8th Edition, 2012” reported by the Union des Foires International (UFI), Thailand’s trade fair industry is the 8th largest trade fair market in Asia, and the largest in Southeast Asia, unchanged from 2011. Thailand continued its growth rate of 6.9% year-on-year in its trade fair industry. Total revenues generated by Thailand’s trade fair industry reached USD 151 million with some 77 trade fairs identified. In terms of estimated annual size, total space sales were 462,500 sq. m. as well as having nine well-equipped exhibition venues. The report is also confident of positive trend in the Thai trade fair industry, thanks to the country’s facilities and growing, export-led economy. When the ASEAN Economic Community integration becomes effective in 2015 and with the government’s consistent support via TCEB’s promotions, subsidies and incentives, the industry and business opportunities through exhibition will expectedly grow.
To further enhance and provide understanding of the business opportunities available through exhibitions in Thailand and Thai potential sectors that Indonesian businessmen might look at, a Focus Group Meeting event was organised by TCEB after the MOU Ceremony on 19th October, 2012 with an aim to provide first-handed information about TCEB’s supporting policy and business opportunities. With compliment to the strategic location of Thailand at the heart of ASEAN, it also provides accessibility to the surrounding markets, especially the emerging market of Greater Mekong Sub-Region. As such, the participation in trade shows organized in Thailand will bring not lonely the networking opportunities with Thai businessmen but also with regional stakeholders at both G2G and B2B level. This will open up Indonesian businesses to increase trading value through Thailand’s exhibition platform.
In 2012, Thailand is expected to welcome approximately 750,000 MICE visitors to the country, generating expected revenues of 1,940 million US dollars whereby accumulated to exhibitions and trade fairs of 80,000 visitors, generating expected revenues of 255 million US dollars.
Photo caption (from left to right): H.E. Mr. Thanatip Upatising, Ambassador of Thailand, Royal Thai Embassy Jakarta, Mr. Pravit Sribunditmongkol, Board Member of TCEB, Mr. Gusmardi Bustami, Director General of National Export Development Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, and Dr. Bayu Krishnamurthi M.Si, Vice Minister of Ministry of Trade.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
