BANGKOK, 14 March 2011 (NNT) – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has admitted the impact from the recent tsunami disaster in Japan on the Thai Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.
Following a massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on 11 March, TCEB President Akapol Sorasuchart indicated that the potential damage on the Thai MICE sector was pending further assessment in terms of its severity. He pointed out that no conclusion would be made until the situation in Japan improved and the impact on the quake-hit country became clearer.
Japanese travelers are considered valuable to the Thai MICE industry, accounting for 10 percent of the entire MICE visitors of 400,000 each year. To compensate for the expected drop in the number of Japanese arrivals as a result of the deadly natural disaster, TCEB will strive to attract more visitors from South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia to hold activities in Thailand.
Mr Akapol added that a campaign would also be launched to promote the domestic MICE market while projecting that this year’s MICE income would reach 70 billion THB, increasing from last year by 20-25 percent. A target has also been set for the Thai MICE industry to earn up to 100 billion THB within the next 3-5 years.
