MICE operators urged to grow in Asean

In the opening speech at a course on “Asean MICE Operation: Now for the Next Investment Excellence”, held  on Thursday and yesterday by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Surin said local operators had to go abroad to grow their business and return benefit back to the country. This is the only way to defend themselves and protect their interests amid the growing challenges. 

MICE businesses have to realise that Asean has a 600-million population with a growing middle class. Thus operators have to learn how to meet the needs and expectations of these customers. 

He said the MICE industry was a soft power to drive growth of Asean trade and investment. All parties in Thailand, including the public, have to participate in promoting the country as a host. “Therefore, every party should have a perception about MICE from A to Z, then they will automatically support the industry without requests for cooperation,” Surin said.

“At present, many companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, do not dare to go out [of the country]. Why are we so passive? Why are we so complacent?” He acknowledged that the education system remained a big problem. Besides failing to improve Thais’ poor competency in the English language, the system failed to change their mentality in terms of interaction with other countries.

Nichapa Yoswee, director of the TCEB’s MICE capabilities department, said the course was one of the bureau’s efforts to enhance the capability of Thai operators in Asean, underscoring both aggressive and defensive plans for different businesses, as well as outlining relevant investment rules and regulations.

Besides training to provide knowledge and understanding on the opportunities and obstacles as well as the impacts on different aspects under the Asean Economic Community, the bureau will arrange trips this year, bringing about 25 operators to meet counterparts and organisations in other countries in the region. 

In the initial stage, the TCEB targets four high-potential markets – Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia – because they offer a lot of opportunities for Thai operators, while other countries require greater efforts because of intense competition.

Nichapa said that from now on, the bureau would pursue building the capabilities of Thai MICE operators through various approaches. 

Besides the English programme for MICE introduced two years ago, the bureau plans to provide instruction in Asean languages.