THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Thailand’s meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) sector is developing a road map aimed at reinvigorating the industry in the wake of two months of political protests in the capital that resulted events scheduled for Thailand moved to other locations.

Akapol Sorasuchart, president of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), said the industry wants to attract about 620,000 delegates and Bt45 billion (about $US1.387 billion) in revenue this year, about the same as last year, but to date government stimulus packages have focused almost entirely on reviving the slump in the tourism industry.

While Mice attendees account for only about 4 percent of the 15 million visitors the Tourism and Sports Ministry remains optimistic of attracting to the kingdom this year, the financial contribution is significantly higher, with Mr. Akapol claiming the average Mice attendee “spends about Bt62,500 ($US1,926) per trip, five times more than the average tourist”.

Mr. Akapol said the government has some misconceptions that the budget related to tourism-rescue measures helps the Mice industry. “Mice and tourism are quite different and so are their marketing campaigns. The TCEB needs to develop its own database to explain this to the government,” he said.

In an attempt to reinvigorate the sector Mr. Akapol said the TCEB aims to stimulate the domestic Mice sector, especially among corporate clients, by offering incentives aimed at encouraging the return of customers and restoring their confidence in Thailand, while also looking for new overseas customers.

To assist in this he said the TCEB will provide a one-stop meeting and planning service which it hopes will maintain several of its traditional customers.

To assist the TCEB in achieving it’s goals a committee of economic ministers recently approved a Bt40 million ($US1.223 m) budget for the TCEB to conduct marketing programs.

Mr. Akapol said the TCEB will continue to talk with private sector operators to develop a road map to revive the industry, and planned to organize familiarization trips for foreign journalists and a forum for foreign executives involved in the Mice industry within the next three months.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for July 2, 2010.