Kingdom Calling

Akanksha Maker understands the business of MICE in Bangkok

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Pristine beaches, lip-smacking cuisine and affordability are a few reasons why Thailand is popular amongst travellers. According to the Thailand Office of Tourism Development, the total number of visitors to Thailand grew from eight million arrivals in 1998 to around 30 million in 2015. Since a few years, Thailand’s MICE industry has been growing at a drastic pace, increasing by 49 percent between 2010 and 2013. Revenue generated by MICE grew by US$1 billion during the same period. Due to political instability, MICE arrivals in 2014 reduced by nine percent from the previous year, only to bounce back in 2015 to the usual figures. Thailand was ranked 25th out of 141 countries worldwide, and third among ASEAN countries after Singapore and Malaysia in the Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index 2015 published by the World Economic Forum. Numbers gathered by Thailand Office of Tourism Development show that MICE accounts for seven percent of all inbound visitors to Thailand as of 2015. Due to their impressive spending potential, this category of travellers is highly regarded in the country.

Direct air connectivity to the important metropolises around the globe, diverse cities, exotic islands and world-class hospitality are a few more reasons why Thailand has evolved into a preferred MICE destination. This is further attributed to improved infrastructure, varied accommodation options by international hotel chains and well versed local event management companies.