EUROPE - Three show organisers and the business development director of an international venue revealed the secrets of their success at the latest roadshow hosted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
The event, held at Le Meridien Piccadilly hotel in London on 16 May, looked at ‘The most effective way to enter Thailand and the ASEAN region.’
The panel featured Quartz Business Media MD Paul Michael, Tarsus MD Doug Emslie, Mack Brooks Exhibition Director Michael Wilton and Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) business development director Sarnit Karunyavanij.
The TCEB event was run in partnership with Mash Media’s Exhibition World and Conference and Meetings World and the Association of Event Organisers, represented by its chief executive Karim Halwagi.
Launching the event, Supawan Teerarat, TCEB’s director of exhibitions, said Europe is a vital source for Thailand’s MICE industry.
“In 2012, over 77,308 European MICE delegates visited Thailand, with UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Spain ranking the highest. In all, the EU accounts for almost 11 per cent of Thailand’s total MICE market, with accumulated to seven billion baht (US$235m) of revenue in 2013.”
Emslie noted that the nation had a growing middle-class population, perfectly suited to trade show visiting, while Michael sees the nation has a big market for shows linked to coatings and chemicals. Wilson said the organiser is looking at a railway equipment, systems and services exhibition for Southeast Asia in March and is looking to use as many local workers as possible.
Karunyavanij, in turn backed the nation’s growing agricultural and transport industries.
“Business opportunities in Thailand and Asia are made available through Thailand’s vibrant business events platform,” concluded Supawan. “We also want to use the growing trade and tourism link to convince the United Kingdom MICE professionals to hold business event on Thai soil.
“We hope that UK MICE professionals will link up and connect with our Thai counterparts and promote further trade and business events activities between our two countries.”
TCEB collaborated with Indonesia for a Memorandum of Understanding at a trade show last year.
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