TCEB maps out 2nd year for successful trade show campaign
AFTER THE success of last year’s initial “Asean Rising Trade Show” (ART), the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has developed another campaign for nine selected international exhibitions.
The bureau expects 30-per-cent growth in the number of international trade visitors to more than 190,000, generating Bt15.6 billion in revenue for the 2016 fiscal year.
Supawan Teerarat, the TCEB’s vice president for strategic and business development, said the ART campaign was aimed at upgrading the Thai exhibition industry, providing financial support for international marketing activities, developing the exhibition network through collaboration with key government bodies, and collaborating with the private-sector organisations and exhibition-industry associations to help identify market opportunities.
Under the criteria set by the TCEB in partnership with the Thai Exhibition Association and the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), nine trade shows have been selected for the ART campaign.
They are GRTE 2016 (Global Rubber, Latex & Tire Expo), Automotive Manufacturing 2016, Assembly and Automation Technology 2016, Food & Hotel Thailand 2016, SIMA Asean Thailand 2016, Thailand Lab International 2016, Beyond Beauty Asean Bangkok 2016, Asean Sustainable Energy Week 2016, and 3W Expo 2016.
The TCEB has developed a three-year (2015-2017) ART campaign with a target to drive 30-per-cent annual growth in the international-exhibition industry, focusing on five fundamental industries according to the Asean Economic Community’s growth trends, namely automotive, energy, food and agricultural products, health and beauty, and infrastructure.
Supawan said that this year, the TCEB was providing more marketing activities to bring in more visitors and buyers for the trade shows. It will create international media support with a testimonial campaign via CNN’s special “Road to Asean” series, which will be broadcast between April and September. In addition, the bureau will organise special awards for the best performance and best recognition.
Jaruwan Suwannasart, TCEB’s director of exhibitions and events, said Thailand had been positioned as Asean’s ultimate exhibition marketplace and a key driver for national economic growth. Thailand is also a regional trade centre and a production and export powerhouse for various industries.
“Thanks to the ART campaign last year with 12 selected trade shows, the number of international exhibitions increased by 31.9 per cent, and the number of Asean trade visitors represented 45.3 per cent.
“These achievements formed a connection between key trade associations in Asean and promoting sustainable growth of the exhibition sector,” Jaruwan said.
