Member Article

Thailand launches ‘Bleisure’ destination at IBTM 2016

The Thailand Convention and Exhibitions Bureau has launched its latest and most ambitious global communication campaign, entitled “Thailand CONNECT Your Vibrant Journey to Business Success”, promoting Thailand as an Ideal Bleisure Destination at the heart of ASEAN, and a leading global destination with unsurpassed standards of service, venues, facilities and leisure opportunities.

The campaign targets the country’s long-haul market, and aims to attract more business events from EU to Thailand. The campaign is being launched at IBTM World, Barcelona 2016 to international MICE delegates and media representatives from all over the world.

Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, TCEB’s president, said,“TCEB is delighted once again to be here at IBTM in Barcelona. The European meetings, incentive travels and conventions market is important to Thailand. In the 2016 fiscal year (October 2015-September 2016), Thailand’s business events industry earned 102.5 billion baht (EUR 2.56 billion) in revenues, and welcomed 1,268,560 business event travellers, attracted by Thailand’s endless choice of vibrant business destinations, global standards of service, and diverse business opportunities. Over 106,000 visitors came from EU member states, with France, the United Kingdom and Germany topping the list. We are launching TCEB’s latest Thailand CONNECT campaign here at IBTM to build awareness of the diverse opportunities, world-class standards and cost-effectiveness of Thailand as a global MICE ‘bleisure’ destination for European business travellers.”

Special privileges for EU Meetings and Incentives Travellers

Meetings & Incentives:

TCEB offers direct financial support of up to EUR 50,000 (Baht 2 million) for overseas groups under three promotional programmes tailored to the needs of EU Meetings and Incentives travellers:

“THAILAND BIG THANKS” For large meetings or incentive events held in Thailand, a financial subsidy up to THB EUR 50,000 (Baht 2 million) is available for eligible events held in Thailand with at least 2,000 overseas delegates per group, staying a minimum 3 nights in Thailand.

“MEET DOUBLE CITIES”: A subsidy of Euro 2,500 (THB 100,000) is available to groups of at least 100 delegates who stay in Thailand for a minimum 5 nights in more than 1 destination.

“MEET SUSTAINABLE”. TCEB offers support of Euro 2,500 (THB 100,000) to groups of 100 delegates or more who stay in Thailand for a minimum of 4 nights, and who also include a CSR activity in their event programme, or hold their event at a certified “Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) venue.

These three special campaigns are available throughout the application period of 1 Oct 2016 - 30 Sep 2017, for a travel period from 1 Oct 2016 - 31 Dec 2017.

Conventions :

For EU conventions travellers to Thailand, TCEB offers the Convene in Paradise campaign:

Euro 25,000 (Baht 1 million) support for conventions with a minimum attendance of 1,000 international delegates. Euro 25,000 (Baht 1 million) support for conventions in the 5 ‘Focus Industries’ with a minimum attendance of 500 international delegates. The five industries comprise: Health & Wellness, Energy, Food & Agribusiness, Infrastructure & Logistics, and Automotive & Electronics. Euro 7,500 (Baht 300,000) support for offshore conventions with a minimum attendance of 200 international delegates, where 80% of the delegates originate from the same country.

Convene Paradise applications are open from 1 October 2016 until 30 September 2017, and travel must take place by 31 December 2017

These special TCEB promotions highlight the growing tend towards “bleisure” – or combining business travel with leisure opportunities- a trend which Thailand is uniquely positioned to deliver.

Visitors to IBTM World 2016 can learn more about the campaign and special promotions at Pavilion Number H50, at the same time taking advantage of the opportunity to meet some of Thailand’s leading business events entrepreneurs – from hotels to venues, destination management companies to airlines.

The Thailand Pavilion offers visitors a traditional Thai welcome, with a country presentation, demonstrations of Thai arts and culture such as umbrella-painting, and a Thailand 360º virtual reality video.

Thailand continues to successfully attract major business events to the country; in 2017 Thailand will host flagship events including the 10th International Petroleum Technology Conference with 2,500 delegates; the 10th International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) with 2,000 delegates; VIV Asia 2017 with 30,000 delegates; Bangkok Entertainment Week 2017 with 700,000 participants and many more.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by TCEB .