Thailand’s ongoing efforts to develop a distinctive product portfolio for meeting and incentive visitors has again impressed industry stakeholders and meeting planners, who, for the third consecutive year, voted Thailand Best Meeting & Incentive Destination (Asia) at the M&C Asia Stella Awards 2023. The awards programme recognises outstanding performance in Asia’s MICE industry. This year’s winners were announced at an awards ceremony held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore on August 16, 2023.
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) President Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said: “I thank our industry colleagues, M&C Asia magazine, and its readers for recognising Thailand’s distinction in meetings and incentive travel. This is Thailand’s third consecutive year winning the Best Meeting & Incentive Destination (Asia) at M&C Asia Stella Awards. This latest honour will enhance Thailand’s appeal as a top business and leisure destination. This award will motivate all of us at TCEB as we work with our local and overseas partners to develop new destinations and products for MICE.”
The award came when MI arrivals in Thailand were rising sharply. Data from TCEB-supported groups show that up to July this year, the number of overseas MI visitors had more than tripled compared to last year. In the first seven months of last year, TCEB supported 37 MI groups with 17,694 visitors. This year, the numbers jumped to 138 groups with 60,568 visitors.
This momentum is expected to be sustained through the end of the year. The strong turnouts at TCEB’s recent roadshows to India and China in July and August suggest that arrival numbers will trend upwards. The India roadshow generated leads in 54 groups with an estimated 47,480 visitors. For China, the tally was 54 groups with 53,306 visitors. TCEB’s participation in international trade shows in the last two years also keeps Thailand fresh in the minds of business event planners worldwide.
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya added that, for the rest of 2023, TCEB is pressing on with efforts to develop new products for international MICE, especially in new destinations. The Bureau works with provincial authorities, local businesses, and academic institutions to co-create new products that draw on a city or region’s unique cultural and natural resources. TCEB also works with city destinations to attract or create events and festivals that appeal to meeting and incentive visitors. The goal is to help planners deliver Thailand’s most compelling and distinctive MICE experience.
