TCEB hosts a dinner talk & charity night paving the way to challenges and opportunity ASEAN conglomeration brings to Thailand’s trade show industry.
BANGKOK –Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently hosted a dinner talk & charity night under the theme “Synergy of ASEAN, the Way to Success” for industry stakeholders at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The special event was aimed to be a platform for knowledge exchange and networking for the exhibition industry in the perspective of the coming ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. To mark the 10th anniversary of TCEB operation, the donation collected from industry people at the event is to be given to the Prostheses Foundation of the H.R.H. the Princess Mother.
TCEB partnered with Thai Exhibition Association (TEA), Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA), Thailand Management Association (TMA), Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) and Thai Airways International (TG) while inviting over 300 guests of private and public stakeholders from the industry and governmental circles to attend the event. The event stressed the expected benefits from ASEAN economic unity in the economy the high growth it would generate for the exhibition industry by stimulating trade, investments as well as tourism in the country.
Mr. Thongchai Sridama, Board of Director and Acting President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau said that “this is a very special occasion for TCEB to bring in key figures from the industry to come and share their views on the current global trend of exhibitions and the challenges the industry is facing with the emergence of the ASEAN economic community. We also want to stimulate Thailand’s exhibition industry by having the awarding ceremony of ‘Better the Best’ and the ‘Next Best Shows’, TCEB’s Exhibition subsidy initiatives that are designed to help raise the competitiveness of overall domestic trade shows”.
Highlights of the night was the panel discussion under the topic “A Secret of Partnering under ASEAN Rising and Beyond” by industry gurus including Mr. Paul Beh, President of Asia-Pacific, Reed Exhibitions Ltd., Mr. Michael Dreyer, Vice President of Asia Pacific Koeln Messe GmbH and Mr. Marcel Ewals, Managing Director of KENES Asia. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Steve Monnington, Managing Director of Mayfield Media Strategies.
TCEB was honored by Mr. Paul Woodward, Managing Director of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, who delivered a speech regarding the global exhibition trend and the challenges that come with the emerging Asian markets.
With its role of industry promoter and facilitator, TCEB also held an award presentation to winning contestants of Believe in Thailand; the Next Best Shows, a matching fund for international activities program that provides support to Thailand’s high-potential exhibitions.
Speaking at the dinner talk, Mr. Thongchai added that “Amid the rising challenges that Asia’s emerging markets bring toward the exhibition industry, Thailand is still at its forefront in terms of competitiveness and can claim to be a centre for exhibition in ASEAN. We are doing everything to ensure the industry collaboration and maintain its attractiveness”.
According to the report “The Trade Fair Industry of Asia 8th Edition, 2012” reported by the Union des Foires Internationales (UFI), Thailand’s trade fair industry is the 8th largest trade fair market in Asia, and the largest in Southeast Asia.
In 2012, Thailand continued to enjoy an average growth of 6.9% of its trade fair industry. Total revenues generated by Thailand’s trade fair industry reached USD 151 million with some 77 trade fairs being identified. In terms of estimated annual size, total space sales were 462,500 sq. m. The report is also confident about continuous positive trend in the Thai trade fair industry. 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 should continue to enjoy strong growth rates.
In 2012, Thailand is expected to welcome approximately 750,000 MICE visitors to the country, generating expected revenues of US$ 1.94 million while international visitors to exhibitions and trade fairs is estimated to reach 80,000 visitors, generating expected revenues of US$ 255 million.
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.
