Report
TIME for Thailand
Paul Colston makes a Thai TIME check , attending the annual MICE industry programme and show organised by national convention bureau TCEB .
angkok is just as
B bustling and exciting as I remember from my previous visit ten years ago , but what is very different is the vast increase in hotel stock at the top end and the increased investment in event venues .
TIME ( Thailand Innovative Meetings Exchange ) 2024 kicked off with Knowledge Exchange on 17 June 2024 , at the InterContinental Bangkok , featuring high-level discussions and industry trend updates . The full-day programme covered over 20 sessions , with topics including ‘ Rising Stars : Korea and Taiwan Markets ’ and ‘ Are you Ready for Gen Z As Your Source of Revenue ’.
TCEB used the show to unveil its strategic direction for MICE for the next two years , aiming to cement Thailand ’ s position as a regional leader .
Over 60 event organisers and buyers attended one-to-one meetings on the show floor at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center , 18 June , as part of the fiveday TIME 2024 programme , which included visits to hotels and venues in Chiang Mai and Bangkok .
In a speech at the event , TCEB ’ s director of meetings and incentives , Supanich Thiansing identified geopolitical tensions , safety and security as considerations that now outweigh even budgets for many event organisers , and presented Thailand as a safe and secure destination offering great value for MICE events .
“ TCEB is committed to cost optimisation , offering flexible pricing models , and enhancing the overall value proposition of hosting events in Thailand ,” she said .
TCEB , she added , was working
Below : Keeping cool on the temple trail hard to develop airline partnerships – particularly considering airlift had been scaled back considerably during Covid and is still not back to 2019 levels .
There is also a focus on unlocking more opportunities in the Middle East – a burgeoning market for Thailand – and the bureau is working to offer familiarisation trips to second-tier business events cities across the country for organisers in key source markets like Singapore , Vietnam , Korea and China .
The whole TIME 2024 event was structured around three key activities : Knowledge Exchange , Business Exchange , and Experience Exchange .
As , well as QSNCC , the host venue , BITEC convention centre was exhibiting and , in addition to its big offer near to Bangkok airport , which includes seven halls and 40,000sqm of exhibition space , the venue is making a big push for the sports and entertainment market , with a new arena complex opening this summer .
Examples of the expanded hotel stock in Bangkok included visits to the Kimpton Maa-Lai , the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok and the neighbouring Capella Bangkok , as well as the boutique Salil Hotel Riverside , all with stunning riverside views and locations .
And while the luxury market seems particularly well served in the capital , Jim Thompson House is an interesting add-on for delegates , where old style wooden buildings which once served the silk trade have been rebuilt as a museum and are open for hire to add an authentic feel to any gala dinner .
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya , president of TCEB , said that the TIME programme had been reshaped for 2024 “ to be more inspiring , motivating , meaningful , and engaging , making us more competitive . TIME has become a showcase of innovation , not only for
48 Issue 4 2024 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk