Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Thai MICE entrepreneurs reported their successfully participation at IBTM World Virtual 2020. They gained 52 leads and are confident in Thailand’s attractiveness in the European markets.
Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, said the Thai delegation, comprising Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA) and 30 Thai MICE companies, were very successful during their participation in the IBTM World Virtual 2020, Europe’s premier trade show for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE).
By the end of the show, Thai MICE entrepreneurs managed to secure a total of 52 leads encompassing 11,800 potential meeting and incentive travellers. These leads are worth an estimated 743.40 million baht in revenue for Thailand.
This encouraging result shows that Thailand remains a favourite destination among MICE buyers in Europe, he said and added that “Europe is a priority long-haul market for Thailand. By participating in this virtual event, Thai MICE entrepreneurs demonstrated that they are determined to remain fully engaged with their European customer and to brief their clients on the COVID-19 situation in Thailand. It was also a good opportunity to inform our European partners of TCEB’s marketing campaigns and special initiatives that planners and visitors can benefit from”.
Mr. Stephen Sinsap, Cluster Director of Sales – MICE at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, said his most anticipated activity at IBTM World Virtual 2020 this year is to maintain his hotel’s strong relationship with customers in different parts of the world.
“One advantage of IBTM World Virtual 2020 is that MICE suppliers were able to meet customers directly without pre-scheduling an appointment. This helped widen opportunities for business and find new customers. During this challenging time, the support from TCEB comes at the time we need help. Through financial backing and participating as a member of the Thai delegation, operators gained new customer insights and confidence in the business outlook. We are pleased to know that Thailand remains a desired destination among our European clients due to the country’s exceptional service standard, great attractions, and value-for-money.”
Mr. Napat Watthanasan, Senior Sales Manager at the Peninsula Bangkok, meanwhile, said “By joining this virtual event, our hotel was able to show that it is ready to resume service as the situation improves. The most important thing we learned is that clients from the US and Europe still prefer Thailand. The country remains among the top destinations people wish to travel to once the pandemic ends,” he said.
Mr. Bryan Lee, Senior Sales Manager at Conrad Bangkok, said that IBTM World Virtual 2020 gathered buyers from Europe and America, which are the hotel’s primary markets. He said: “The virtual event provided a platform for our hotel to maintain its business relationship with these important clients. Also, the feedbacks from clients have been reassuring to MICE operators. European and American customers said they have confidence in Thailand’s public health measures and would choose to travel to Thailand as soon as the situation allows as the destination offers good value for money.”
