Thailand goes digital to “spice up” MICE sector
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Thailand has unveiled a major new digital strategy aimed at positioning the country as “the premier MICE destination in Asia”.
Launched by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) on Monday at a major event at the IMAX cinema in Bangkok, the third edition of the ‘Spice Up Your Business Agenda’ campaign includes a new mobile app, an enhanced MICE website, and new online tools for meeting planners.
The new digital drive will primarily target meeting planners in five Asian countries: China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
“This year, TCEB continues to promote the readiness of Thailand’s MICE industry through a competitive digital MICE strategy, using online channels to support the bureau’s key marketing activities while aligning both traditional and digital activities in the same direction,” said Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB.
There are four key components to the digital strategy; the Biz Thailand mobile app, which provides information about Thailand’s MICE products and services in Thai and English, the revamped website which is available in eight languages, new online marketing tools, and a digital sales kit which includes blogs, photo and video content and infographics.
“The Biz Thailand mobile application… has been developed to provide easy access to [the] Thai MICE industry for smartphone users,” commented Sarita Chintakanond, director of TCEB’s information technology department. “[It] pools together useful information on attractions, restaurants, hotels, flight details, MICE venues in Bangkok and other major cities. The location-specific feature will also help update special promotions and activities in the area in real-time, and users can share this information via their social networks.”
TCEB will also be conducting a series of online marketing and promotional campaigns to raise awareness of Thailand’s MICE industry and highlight the key attributes of five key MICE destinations: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Khon Kaen.
Returning for its third year, the international ‘Spice Up Your Business Agenda’ campaign will continue to offer incentives for meeting planners choosing Thailand as their host venue. In partnership with Thai Airways, Thai Smile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Visa and the Thai Ministry of Commerce, TCEB will run an online and social media campaign offering such privileges as discounts on hotels, ground transport and golf green fees, aimed at stimulating spending and enticing delegates to stay longer in the destination.
TCEB said that through these new digital initiatives, it expects to see a 50% jump in visits to its online channels by international users in 2016, including a 15% rise in website views. This is expected to contribute to the country achieving its full-year target of 1.06 million international MICE visitors and THB92 billion (US$2.6bn) in MICE revenues.
The new Biz Thailand mobile app is now available for both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.
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