Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), with one billion baht budget allocation, outlines its strategies to bring MICE industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) back to life by stimulating the domestic market, heavily bidding for international business events in line with key strategic economic sectors and boosting the recognition of the country’s high hygiene standard.

The strategies will complement the cabinet’s approval of 22.4 billion baht package to shore up tourism and related sectors, which is a result of a close collaboration among the Ministry of Public Health, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and TCEB.

To help speed up the government’s initiative, the bureau is now increasing support fund for each domestic meetings and adjusting support criteria to make it easier to organize domestic meetings. To be eligible for support, the meeting needs not to be located in other destination than the site of the corporate headquarter. This is despite the fact that inter-provincial travel is now no more subject to strict requirements imposed during high infection period and domestic flights are permitted.

As venue’s hygiene standard is now a key concern deterring business events, TCEB has worked closely with the Ministry of Public Health to support the venue’s adoption and practice of MICE Venue Hygiene Guidelines to enable the venue operators to win confidence from MICE clients. In this regard, TCEB and Department of Health will make site visit to inspect the venue’s readiness to exercise health measures according to the guidelines, which has been developed by TCEB in collaboration with key stakeholder associations and has been in line with health safety framework of Department of Disease Control and Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Health.

One positive sign of health standard is that as of now 207 venues across Thailand have participated in the COVID-19 Free Meeting project of TCEB. Under this project, TCEB will subsidise venues to acquire tools and equipment to set up and execute their health protocols.

As for bidding, TCEB will focus on bidding for business events that will assist to boost the country’s strategic sectors. One key sector is infrastructure and transport to help drive the government’s current heavy investment in rail, road, port and airports to upgrade the country’s transport and logistics.