MICE industry 'set for rebound'
Play
THE MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) business looks like bouncing back in the final quarter of the year after plunging since the bomb attack in central Bangkok last month.
The Union of International Associations is holding an educational event for the first time in Thailand today and tomorrow.
Union Pan Exhibitions, a big local travel-trade organiser, is scheduled to host “One Stop Shopping Expo” from October 10-18 at Impact Muang Thong Thani.
From October 19-23, the “Bangkok International Gifts and Housewares Fair” will take place at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec), then “PEA Presents EcoLightTech Asia” is planned for November 19-21 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. The “Freight Talks Convention” is confirmed for November 26-29 at Ramanda Ramada Plaza Riverside.
“The bomb blast at Erawan Shrine in August is expected to hit tourism and MICE business through the current quarter but it is hoped to begin to recover in the last quarter, not only because of high season but thanks to more measures on safety and security,” Vachira Jitsakdanont, a director of Union Pan Exhibitions, said yesterday.
She said local people would begin to spend money for travel while MICE travellers would also do the same.
“We aim to attract 1 million visitors to the One Stop Shopping Expo, highlighted with themes of eight floating markets. They should generate revenue of about Bt50 million,” she said.
According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, almost 80 representatives from more than 50 associations and organisations across Asia, Europe and Australia have confirmed their attendance at the “UIA Associations Round Table Asia-Pacific” today and tomorrow.
This is the third time the Belgium-based Union of International Associations has held its educational event outside Europe and the first time for Thailand.
Last week, the Federation of Thai Industries, Informa Exhibitions, and Impact Exhibition Management ran the second edition of “Beyond Beauty Asean-Bangkok” (BBAB) – the largest beauty trade show in Asean – at Muang Thong Thani.
BBAB welcomed more than 350 companies and brands from across the world, showcasing themselves on 8,500 square metres of exhibition space. It featured 11 national pavilions from mainland China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan.
The event also staged conferences and activities to provide the beauty industry a platform in which to share industry updates, trends and innovations and guiding the Thai beauty industry towards healthy and sustainable growth.
