Bangkok’s global ranking as a convention city has moved up from 8th place in 2020 to 6th in 2021 in the latest edition of the International Convention Destination Competitive Index compiled by Australia-based convention and meetings industry consultancy GainingEdge. The annual report is an analysis of 101 destinations with the largest number of international association meetings from 2017–2019 according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
Cities are ranked in terms of their infrastructure, accessibility, logistics, professional community, destination appeal, and cost to meeting planners and organizers. The top 10 convention cities for 2021 are Paris, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, and Washington. In Asia-Pacific, the top 10 are Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Macao, and Bali.
Bangkok’s improved ranking came at a time when the city is gearing up for a resumption of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) with a new resolve. The city will be hosting the 2022 Global Summit of Women from June 23–25 and unveiling the newly-renovated Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in September. QSNCC will be the venue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November this year. To strengthen Bangkok’s appeal, TCEB is organizing an international familiarisation trip in late March 2022, featuring new development of the city’s facilities and attractions undertaken during the pandemic.
The 2021 International Convention Destination Competitive Index is an assessment of product quality in each destination. The report focused on three areas – hygiene factors, competitive advantages, and key differentiators. The index is based on primary research and third-party sources such as ICCA, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations. It is designed to help cities identify the best course of action to speed up their recovery from the pandemic-induced market downturn. (NNT)
 |
 |
 |
