Phuket MICE city promotion strategy revived

PHUKET: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has revived its efforts and moved its attention to once again help promote Phuket as a regional hub for corporate and organizational tourism.

A new four-year strategy was presented to local, regional and national officials at a seminar on April 26 at the Metropole Hotel in Phuket Town.

Entitled “Developing Phuket as a sustainable MICE City, Opening [the] Andaman MICE Hub as the second MICE city of Thailand”, the seminar addressed the island’s current and future position as a tourism hub for MICE – Meetings Incentives, Conferences (also Conventions) and Exhibitions (or Events).

Heading the seminar were several representatives from the TCEB, as well as Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and Phuket Democrat MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr.

The seminar was briefed on a four-year plan to develop Phuket and the neighboring Andaman coastal provinces as “Amazing Andaman, World-class tourist destination”.

At the meeting, Governor Maitri revealed that Phuket will be adopting a “4Ms” strategy: MICE, Marinas, man-power and medical tourism.

“It is our intention to further develop on Phuket’s strong points. We will continue to focus on Phuket being a tourist destination and a Southern Thailand business hub linking the Andaman [coastal region] together.” Gov Maitri explained.

The event marks the first time that the island has officially been in TCEB’s promotional ‘cross-hairs’ since October, last year, when the government reversed its initial decision of approval for the decades-old International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC) project planned on the north of the island.

Following that decision, the island’s strategic positioning as the country’s primary MICE hub, took a back seat when the TCEB made redundant its “Seven Wonders of the Andaman” campaign.

The TCEB then shifted its attention to Chiang Mai, where a 3 billion baht ICEC was subsequently completed, and was scheduled to open early this year.

TCEB Director of Exhibitions Supawan Teerarat told the seminar that Phuket is integral to the country’s MICE industry since the island province’s target MICE groups are estimated to have three times more purchasing power than regular tourists.

For more information on the meeting and strategy, pick up a copy of the Phuket Gazette, on stands next Saturday, May 4.

Digital Subscribers can download their copy on Friday, May 3.

Additional reporting by Steven Layne

— Kritsada Mueanhawong