TCEB’S first Thailand MICE Virtual Expo presents a vital snapshot of Thailand’s MICE market, attracts 7,755 participants from 33 countries

178 buyers met 30 Thai exhibitors over 580 business-matching sessions, while eight industry webinars and eight cultural workshops gave audiences an idea of how MICE entrepreneurs in Thailand have pivoted during the pandemic and Thai culture can be presented in a fresh, engaging manner to MICE visitors.

7,755 online participants from 33 countries participated with over 580 business-matching sessions in the first Thailand MICE Virtual Expo organised by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). Held from February 24–25, 2021, the event gave international MICE buyers and stakeholders a timely update on Thailand’s MICE market and what industry leaders are doing to ensure business continuity and competitiveness.

TCEB President, Mr Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said: “Exhibitors at TCEB’s Thailand MICE Virtual Expo appreciated the opportunity to connect with international buyers during this time of uncertainty and separation. It was important for all of us in MICE to continue building relationships with prospective clients so that Thailand remains an attractive and promising destination in our client’s consciousness. TCEB’s virtual expo is a credible, industry-supported platform designed to fulfil this need for interaction and knowledge-exchange. The business-matching sessions are geared towards business development while the webinars highlighted the outlook and opportunities in Thailand’s key industries and how MICE can help entrepreneurs and investors in these industries grow their businesses.”

There were eight webinars featuring 17 speakers from Thailand’s key strategic industries. The speakers shared their experiences in the new normal and their strategies for MICE going forward. The webinar on Thai food industry, for example, highlighted the innovative hybrid format the Department of International Trade Promotion adopted to promote Thai food products among overseas buyers who were not able to travel to Thailand.

Many of the webinar speakers also noted that digitalisation is more than just a new way to meet but also a powerful tool for ecosystem development, omni-channel engagement and partnerships. A recurring comment was the need to exploit the true power of digital and not use it to solely replicate a physical meeting.

The virtual expo was not all business and trade. There were also eight fun and breezy cultural workshops presented by six personable instructors whose subjects – photography, food, Muay Thai, puppetry, Thai massage, and floral arrangement – can add a distinctively Thai flavour to any MICE programme.

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