The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organisation) or TCEB recently highlighted the importance of the Middle East region at the on-going Gulf Incentive Business Travel Meetings (GIBTM) exhibition.
“In 2013, we welcomed more than one million MICE travellers from all over the world, including 15,000 from the Middle East, a number we expect to grow by five per cent in 2014,” said Parichat Svetasreni, director of marketing and corporate image at TCEB.
“Asia was the best performing region accounting for 72% of Thailand’s MICE visitors, and grew strongly by 20.25% last year. We forecast growth in MICE visitor numbers of five percent a total of 987,000 visitors by this year-end, with revenues up by 10% to US$3.23 billion,” added Parichat.
To support the drive, the TCEB also announced introduction of the special ‘Thailand’s MICE Rewards’ package which runs until September 2014. Key elements of the scheme include ‘Meetings Bonus’, which offers organisers discounts for groups of 200 or more. The ‘Conventions Bonus’ offers associations, PCOs, governments and educational institutions discounts for groups of 300 or more delegates.
The scheme has been introduced at the end of a challenging time, Svetasreni noted. “Earlier this month, anti-government demonstrators ended their campaign and confined activities to just a few areas, so roads in central Bangkok are once again operating normally. We are confident that with our full support, business travellers look at Thai hospitality and facilities.”
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