TCEB shifts focus on 4Ms to rock global MICE market

TCEB has also joined with entrepreneurs in five cities to turn them into environmentally sustainable MICE cities by cutting down waste volume by 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, the so-called 4Ms promotions designed by TCEB will include meetings being taken to potential cities (Meet Now); large-sized meetings (Meet Mega); meetings group that conform with the Thailand 4.0 policy (Meet Smart); and meetings that include sustainable activities (Meet Sustainable). These groups will also be offered extra privileges, including a special MICE lane at the airport, cultural performances, souvenirs and supporting budget of up to Bt1 million.
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, TCEB president, said the bureau is focusing on national competitiveness and plans to make MICE part of the national agenda.
“The world is changing at an ultra-fast pace owing to digital technology, trade wars, economic depression, inflation and natural disasters. These have inevitably affected economy, politics and society. To expedite MICE to achieve goals, it is therefore necessary to seek collaboration on both national and international levels. We can expect our operations to yield maximum efficiency with lowest costs, while also remaining competitive and surviving with sustainability,” he said.
TCEB is highlighting its marketing strategies during the annual MICE trade show – the IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific forum, which wraps up on September 26.
Though TCEB’s primary markets for meetings and incentives (MI) will remain the Asean+6 countries, namely China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, and the US as well as Europe as a secondary market, it is also eyeing countries in Eastern Europe.
In 2020, TCEB expects 1.39 million MICE travellers in Thailand, generating Bt105.6 billion in revenue. The number of MICE travellers from the meetings and incentives market has been estimated to be 762,000, generating revenue of Bt57 billion.
Chiruit added that apart from the goal to enhance Thailand’s image as a great destination for international events and moves to boost MICE ecosystems in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen, TCEB also plans to collaborate on four dimensions. The collaborations will be based on the development of knowledge through training; promotion of venues of MICE organisers; providing support for sustainable events and for MICE venues to achieve sustainable standards; and monitoring and evaluation of tangible sustainability of MICE businesses.
TCEB’s first campaign with the five MICE cities is “Zero Plastic Events”, with the aim to cut down the use of plastic bottles used at MICE events from 17.34 million to 8.67 million within a year. The campaign will include the use of glass bottles during short meetings that last one or two days; using reusable bottles for longer meetings that can be taken back as a souvenir; or providing water coolers with drinking glasses. Plastic and paper glasses will be banned.
“If the operation goes as well as planned, the number of plastic bottles will be reduced as estimated, which will be equivalent to 638 tonnes of carbon dioxide or equal to planting 70,226 trees. Costs can also be lowered by Bt30 billion. TCEB is confident that this collaboration is another milestone of unification towards bringing Thai MICE towards sustainability and enabling Thai MICE to meet standards and recognition as Asia’s leading MICE destination,” Chiruit added.