Past successes and a new approach to courting associations are among the reasons for Thailand’s good progress in the meetings space
Association meetings are turning out to be the gift that keeps giving for Thailand. Every international meeting held successfully in the Kingdom leads to greater confidence in the destination among other association executives and meeting planners, in turn attracting more global gatherings to her cities.
Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, director of convention with the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), which sits right under the Prime Minister’s Office, thereby reflecting the country’s high regard for the business and association events industry, told TTGassociations: “Every successful meeting we hold is being seen by other associations. In the past, we held up our Lions Clubs International and Rotary International conferences as case studies when promoting Thailand for conventions. They are such massive gatherings, and are proof that if Thailand could handle them, Thailand can do anything.”
Today, Thailand has far more success stories to tell.
ICCA’s latest ranking of top countries for association meetings placed Thailand at 24th position for having hosted 174 meetings in 2016. In 2010, Thailand stood at 35th spot with 88 meetings under its belt. Bangkok has also climbed the ICCA charts. The Thai capital leapt from 39th in the world in 2010 to 12th in 2016. The city reported its highest volume performance that year since 2012, according to TCEB.
Other cities have done well too. Chiang Mai ranked sixth in South-east Asia for hosting 20 meetings, while Phuket ranked 10th with 13 meetings.
At press time in September, Thailand has won this year 16 events that will take place between 2018 to 2021.
Vichaya said Thailand’s progress in the association meetings space is a result of its glowing and growing track record as well as strong Asian economic developments and the country’s location as a gateway to other Asian markets.
It is also largely due to the new approach TCEB’s conventions division has taken in courting associations.
“We no longer shout out loud that Thailand is beautiful, that Thailand has all these gorgeous tourism infrastructure. Our communications with associations are very targeted and we’ve done away with roadshows and sales missions. When we do attend trade events for destination promotion, those with association executives in attendance take priority,” she explained.
The division is also working with associations for association executives such as Korea Society of Association Executives and American Society of Association Executives, to connect with their members.
“We go right to the individual association, study their goals and work with them to fulfil their event objectives.
“We learnt from experience that if we fail to answer their needs, or to interest them (in what Thailand can do to add value to their meeting goals), they won’t bite. What they want from the convention bureau is help to connect them with the local associations and businesses,” said Vichaya.
These days, according to Vichaya, her division gets at least one association contacting it every month, to express interest in Thailand for their future meeting.
She added: “Some of these enquiries have quick conversions. For example, the International Dragon Awards made contact with us two or three months ago, came for an inspection in July, and then said yes to us for their 2019 event.
“They met our new president (of TCEB, Chiruit Isarangkun na Ayuthaya) and had a really good talk, which we believe helped built their confidence in Thailand.”
The event in Bangkok will comprise a conference and an awards ceremony, drawing an estimated 7,000 delegates.
Another gift that these meetings bring to Thailand is their ability to stimulate development of the country’s local industries. According to Vichaya, Thailand welcomes a mix of association meetings from the medical, agricultural, engineering, health and wellness, IT and energy industries.
“These are all in line with Thailand’s key industries,” she noted.
She has also observed a rise in education related association meetings in recent times, a result of the country’s intensifying focus on raising education quality.
“There are more international universities today in Pattaya, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai to support expatriates and Thais who are now wanting a higher standard of education,” she said.
While TCEB has identified five cities (Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen) best suited for business and association events, based on various factors such as global accessibility and available infrastructure, Vichaya opined that not all are suitable for association meetings.
“To qualify as an association meetings city, it must also have supporting industries and a character that is conducive for trade exchange and learning,” she remarked, adding that TCEB will recommend destinations that best suit the event.
“For example, when we made a bid for the Congress of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists World, we proposed Chiang Mai because surrounding the city are farms and processing plants for sugar. The character of the city suits the event. We won the bid and held the event last December at the new Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre. We had about 2,000 delegates and the exhibition component showed off many massive machinery that were developed by Thais.”
Vichaya also pointed to Khon Kaen as a city that is best suited for NGO association meetings or those hoping to access delegates from nearby Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. It has its own airport and is just an hour’s flight from Bangkok.
Khon Kaen is hungry for association meetings, remarked Vichaya.
“Khonkaen International Convention Centre is opening early 2018, and the private sector has formed an organisation to attract business events to the city,” she said.
