Phuket 'needs convention centre' tap MICE potential fully

Thongchai Sridama, acting president of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, said the province was ready in all aspects for MICE such as various tourism choices, convenience, and good infrastructure.
Phuket’s plan for a world-class convention and exhibition centre, however, faces strong opposition from local people who fear that its construction would hurt the coastal environment. Under the plan, the centre would cover about 150 rai (24 hectares) in Mai Khao sub-district in Thalang district. It would serve up to 4,000 people; currently, QSNCC can accommodate 6,000. The initial plan was to open the Phuket facility in November next year.
Phuket is being tested to become such a hub after about 15,000 Chinese from Amway in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou descended on the island, choosing it as the venue for their incentive meeting. They will stay in the province for a month until May 15. They have come here in groups over the course of the month.
It is the biggest incentive meeting ever held in Thailand. During the month, 130 flights and 69 charter flights were to bring the participants to Phuket. They are expected to contribute more than Bt2.5 billion to the local economy.
For Thailand, China – especially from those three major cities – shows a high potential for MICE, followed by India. The number of Chinese coming here for such a purpose is on the rise. Also, they have high purchasing power due to the strong growth of their economy.
Currently, there are 6 million tourists – foreigners and locals – visiting Phuket. Annually, people visiting for MICE activities make up 10 per cent of the total tourist number.
Nationwide, the MICE outlook is very good this year. It is expected that some 750,000 foreigners will participate in MICE and also spend an estimated Bt60 billion in the local economy. Of the total, the estimated 378,000 people coming for incentive meetings contribute Bt27 billion to the economy.