BANGKOK The new and uncertain calm in Bangkok is expected to keep international business events away until early 2011, but the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) believes it can maintain arrival figures at 2009 levels with its Thailand Extra Value campaign.
“TCEB predicted the number of MICE visitors would fall from the original target of 780,000 to possibly as low as 550,000 this year due to the unrest,” said TCEB president Akapol Sorasuchart. “Moreover, revenue from MICE is expected to drop from US$1.72 billion to US$1.38 billion.
“Despite the political unrest, TCEB will try to maintain the same number as last year of 620,000 arrivals – 70,000 visitors higher than the revised number. In order to refresh the market and win back international MICE business, TCEB launched an extra marketing campaign, the Thailand Extra Value, which builds on the Thailand Maximize programme."
The bureau will meet with the private sector on June 28 to develop short- and medium- term plans.
TCEB is also hoping a campaign to promote domestic meetings will improve figures in both Bangkok and the provinces.
Major hotels including Grand Hyatt Erawan, Dusit Thani InterContinental and, notably, Centara Grand, reopened late last month following weeks of closure due to the drawn-out protests surrounding them.