‘The Kingdom of Bleisure’ – Thailand rounds out MICE offering

MICE News
Thursday, 17 August 2017

In recent years the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) – in partnership with a staunch team of partners including Thai Airways, hotels, convention centres, government departments and premium retail districts – has headed an almost textbook progression of its MICE sector. Now it has taken the CONNECT Thailand offering a step further, presenting the country as ‘The Kingdom of Bleisure’, writes Kelvin King.

Supawan Teerarat, TCEB’s vice president for strategic and business development, said the new tag was anchored in infrastructure, services, attractions and wide-ranging appeal. 

More, it was totally compatible with the MICE foundations already developed by the TCEB-led team under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s office.

The Thai government regards MICE as having enormous potential for good, its effect trickling down from key stakeholders to the lower reaches of local economy. This is seen in the hands-on involvement of the PM and his cabinet, more than adequate funding, encouragement of private investment and – importantly – a direction to other government agencies to ease up on embedded bureaucracy and play a proactive role in attracting MICE events to Thailand.

As we have reported frequently, the Thai MICE team set out to build on the well-established facility strengths and destination credibility of Bangkok by nominating other key MICE cities for investment, marketing and overall profile boosts. Once these gained momentum the pioneering work turned to smaller centres, some of which have blossomed dramatically, partly due to a positive response from local corporates and associations.

The Kingdom of Bleisure concept embraces these essentials and builds further. 

Its initial manifestation centres on three destinations: Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok.

At its launch in Pattaya – a city much changed from the rather seedy R&R status of decades past – Mrs Supawan said the concept would gradually be extended elsewhere in the country, in a roll-out similar to the earlier initiatives.

Choosing Pattaya as ‘stage 1’ component is an appropriate move given the Thai government’s enormous Eastern Economic Corridor program covering the eastern provinces of Rayong, Chonburi and Chachoengsao. [We will report on the EEC in our Spring 17 flipbook edition as well as in daily e-news – it will be of major importance to Australia, NZ and other Asia Pacific countries.]

Pattaya will see its role as both a destination and economic powerhouse boosted. Among projects getting under way is a big upgrade and extension of the Thai Royal Navy air station at U-Tapao in a new life as the U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.

EEC is a key part of the government’s 4.0 economic policy.

“TCEB maps our strategies in line with the country’s economic blueprint,” Supawan noted. “By enhancing MICE as a driving force behind the economic growth we connect the international business community, including Thailand 4.0-targeted industrial segments, through diverse strategic approaches.”

She explained that TCEB www.tceb.or.th and partners would be highlighting the bleisure aspect – a global trend – in MICE bids and deliveries. 

“We introduce aspects of the Thai journey through luxury, cultural, culinary and CSR experiences to show that Thailand can transform ordinary business events into memorable and endearing success.” 

- from Kelvin King in Pattaya

‘The Kingdom of Bleisure’ – Thailand rounds out MICE offering

MICE News
Thursday, 17 August 2017

In recent years the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) – in partnership with a staunch team of partners including Thai Airways, hotels, convention centres, government departments and premium retail districts – has headed an almost textbook progression of its MICE sector. Now it has taken the CONNECT Thailand offering a step further, presenting the country as ‘The Kingdom of Bleisure’, writes Kelvin King.

Supawan Teerarat, TCEB’s vice president for strategic and business development, said the new tag was anchored in infrastructure, services, attractions and wide-ranging appeal. 

More, it was totally compatible with the MICE foundations already developed by the TCEB-led team under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s office.

The Thai government regards MICE as having enormous potential for good, its effect trickling down from key stakeholders to the lower reaches of local economy. This is seen in the hands-on involvement of the PM and his cabinet, more than adequate funding, encouragement of private investment and – importantly – a direction to other government agencies to ease up on embedded bureaucracy and play a proactive role in attracting MICE events to Thailand.

As we have reported frequently, the Thai MICE team set out to build on the well-established facility strengths and destination credibility of Bangkok by nominating other key MICE cities for investment, marketing and overall profile boosts. Once these gained momentum the pioneering work turned to smaller centres, some of which have blossomed dramatically, partly due to a positive response from local corporates and associations.

The Kingdom of Bleisure concept embraces these essentials and builds further. 

Its initial manifestation centres on three destinations: Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok.

At its launch in Pattaya – a city much changed from the rather seedy R&R status of decades past – Mrs Supawan said the concept would gradually be extended elsewhere in the country, in a roll-out similar to the earlier initiatives.

Choosing Pattaya as ‘stage 1’ component is an appropriate move given the Thai government’s enormous Eastern Economic Corridor program covering the eastern provinces of Rayong, Chonburi and Chachoengsao. [We will report on the EEC in our Spring 17 flipbook edition as well as in daily e-news – it will be of major importance to Australia, NZ and other Asia Pacific countries.]

Pattaya will see its role as both a destination and economic powerhouse boosted. Among projects getting under way is a big upgrade and extension of the Thai Royal Navy air station at U-Tapao in a new life as the U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.

EEC is a key part of the government’s 4.0 economic policy.

“TCEB maps our strategies in line with the country’s economic blueprint,” Supawan noted. “By enhancing MICE as a driving force behind the economic growth we connect the international business community, including Thailand 4.0-targeted industrial segments, through diverse strategic approaches.”

She explained that TCEB www.tceb.or.th and partners would be highlighting the bleisure aspect – a global trend – in MICE bids and deliveries. 

“We introduce aspects of the Thai journey through luxury, cultural, culinary and CSR experiences to show that Thailand can transform ordinary business events into memorable and endearing success.” 

- from Kelvin King in Pattaya