“TCEB bundles with key countries’ exhibition leaders to organize a road show to offer new forceful package – Extra Night, Extra Smile.”
Following the Thai Prime Minister’s stimulus plan for China, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), today, is planning to seize more Chinese exhibitions and trade shows through the annual major Road Show in three key cities embracing Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. It is aimed at showcasing Thailand’s unique attraction and great value as an exhibition destination to the Chinese business community. This TCEB’s first integrated China road show leads a team of key exhibition leaders from both state and private agencies in order to increase market penetration for the Chinese exhibition market through a new package – Extra Night, Extra Smile – with an extensive range of offers for all Chinese exhibitors and visitors.
Since the official visit to China of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, scheduled on the past June 24-27, the PM immediately stated “Thailand has developed a 3-year economic stimulus plan to move forward and China is one of the key vital strategic partners to Thailand in working together to cope with the global financial crisis.” He further pledged full support to boost Thai-Chinese ties and China’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Exhibition Director and Acting President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) states that “In accordance with the new aggressive government policy, TCEB is now focusing more on exhibitions as the essential business platform to be accomplished. TCEB and the Thai Government want to extend similar hands-on support to the international trade shows and other relevant Chinese exhibition professionals considering Thailand by conducting the annual road show program in China with a new attractive approach.”
TCEB’s major China Road Show program, in 2009, will be roaming three strategic cities comprising Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. It is conducted in conjunction with Thailand’s Department of Export Promotion (DEP), Thailand Exhibition Association (TEA), and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) as well as the key leader exhibition players in Thailand. Together, these parties aim to inform China’s business community of the potential opportunity and real value of holding business events in Thailand. Approximately 500 stakeholders involved in China’s exhibition industry are expected to attend this.
According to Mr. XU Yanbo, Deputy Director-General of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), “prior to this collaboration, CCPIT and TCEB have worked together to boost up the two countries’ economies through the exhibition platform. China and Thailand have, indeed, established a close relationship through the bilateral trade estimated at 41 billion USD with a 19% increase compared to 2007. The Thailand export value in 2008 was around 25.6 billion USD, while the total value between China and ASEAN countries was up 14%, or an estimated 231 billion USD. Furthermore, the China-ASEAN FTA will be completed in 2010 which will lead China, Thailand and other ASEAN countries to get closer in terms of business.”
This is shown in the commitment of Thailand’s Prime Minister in accordance with Thailand’s and China’s determination to strengthen bilateral economic and trade cooperation aimed at increasing the bilateral trade volume between the two countries to 50 billion USD, two way investments to a total of 6.5 billion USD, as well as the number of tourists to reach four million by 2010.
“At present, visitors from China head the list in terms of the number of arrivals to Thailand. In 2008, the Office of Tourism Development, Tourism Authority of Thailand reported that the number of arrivals of Chinese visitors reached 818,752 visitors and tends to be increased year-by-year. In addition, China today is playing an essential role in shaping Asia’s tomorrow. TCEB, thus, employs a new package to attract more Chinese exhibitors and visitors” added Supawan.
In an effort to boost the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand, the bureau’s road show thus provides the horizontal range of support starting from venues, trade associations, organizers, and exhibitors to visitors in order to secure the establishment of trade and investments in Thailand. TCEB’s incentive scheme is unleashed under the master “Bangkok…the Exhibition City of ASEAN” campaign for all types of business visitors’ profiles, namely organizers, group visitors and individual trade visitors.
The new “Extra Night, Extra Smile” is initiated to magnetize and tap more on Singaporean exhibitors & visitors and aimed at encouraging a quick decision to visit Thailand as well as extend the lengths of stay in Thailand to those who visit the country during July 2009 to September 2010. The package consists of two high-value offers. The Extra Night will provide a “Free Forth Night” deal for delegates’ events longer than 3 nights. In addition, there is the Extra Smile package, which offers more privileges including: MICE Fast Track, Special Rates for airport transfers, Half-day City Tours and special discounts from leading department stores and other entertainment places.
“In 2008, approximately 10,000 business travelers and delegates from China came to Thailand which is regarded as a remarkable marketplace. The number has also grown considerably each year. I am completely confident that TCEB’s incentive scheme will attract more Chinese exhibitors and visitors as well as boost up business ties among the two countries,” adds Deputy Director-General of CCPIT.
Concluding, Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, with strong support from both government and private agencies, stated that TCEB is confident that the initiative will secure the success of the show, add real value to exhibitions clients and attract exhibitors & visitors who are considering Thailand again. TCEB is now estimating that the business event industry in Thailand will bring in US$1.24 billion this year and attract half a million participants.
