Thai MICE sector secures major international events

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The Thailand and Convention Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has announced that the country will play host to several major international MICE events (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), including the 74th “FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014”, in the second half of this year and in 2015.

The event was confirmed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), a global federation representing 2 million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists worldwide, of whom more than 2,000 will attend the congress in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, the World Puppet Carnival has also reaffirmed its confidence in Thailand by announcing that the “Harmony World Puppet Carnival” will be held in Bangkok, with more than 30,000 expected to attend.

Also, Unicity International, an international multi-level marketing company, has picked Thailand as the venue for the Unicity Global Convention – its annual meeting and incentive travel program – this October. The event is expected to welcome more than 50,000 business travellers to the Kingdom. The confirmations signal renewed international confidence in the Thai MICE sector, as operations return to normal after the country’s political transition, according to the TCEB.

“Winning major bids for international MICE events of this caliber, which will take place in Thailand from the second half of 2014, reflects the strong international confidence business communities around the globe have in Thailand,” TCEB president Nopparat Maythaveekulchai said.

“Stability is a key consideration for MICE travellers, and the confidence shown by international organizers is proof positive that Thailand is again ready to host MICE events of any size and scale. “TCEB is looking forward to extending our famous warm Thai hospitality and world-class MICE services to 157,930 high-quality business travellers during the final quarter of the 2014 fiscal year.”

The Harmony World Puppet Carnival will be held from November 1-10 in a historic area of Bangkok’s Rattanakosin Island. It is expected that 124 productions from 74 countries, including 66 European countries and six in Asia, will join up with renowned Thai puppeteers.

— The Nation