The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) announced a new agreement with the FCA (Foreign Chamber Alliance, representing Australia, Germany, USA and the UK), to push the development of the country’s MICE business in long haul markets at a press conference at the Anantara Siam, in Bangkok this morning.

The MOU will see the two organisations working together to make Thailand, and specifically second cities beyond the capital, even more attractive to meetings and event planners across the globe.

“FCA has more than 20,000 members that include businessmen, investors, entrepreneurs”

Commenting on the new relationship, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, president of TCEB, said it was: “Another remarkable step of TCEB in altering our role to leverage MICE by serving as a business partner who joins hands with foreign organisations to promote the development of Thai MICE in international markets, as well as to penetrate into long haul MICE markets in Oceania, Europe and the USA, side by side with our main short haul target markets in Asia.”

Adding: “Indeed, the collaboration is a new dimension of promoting Thai MICE in long haul markets with a concentration on Oceania, Europe and the USA. This is the very first time that the Foreign Alliance – FCA, which represents Australia, UK, USA and Germany, signed an MOU with the Thai government agency. Interestingly, FCA has more than 20,000 members that include businessmen, investors, entrepreneurs from business, industrial and service sectors, such as Minor Hotels Group, AccorHotels Group, Marriott Hotels Group, convention centres business, as well as oil, mining, pharmaceutical, automobile and other industries.

“A lucrative opportunity for us to collaborate”

“These are considered high potential business groups for the propelling of the national economy and are included among the S-curve targeted industries that the Thai government has eyed to encourage in line with the 4.0 Policy. For this reason, this is a lucrative opportunity for us to collaborate to develop and raise the competitiveness of Thai MICE. The four chambers of commerce have recognised the importance of using MICE as the gateway to the development of commerce and investment in Thailand and ASEAN.”

“Our primary aim is to continue to increase and grow the competitiveness of Thailand”

Benjamin Krieg, vice president of Austcham said: “The MICE industry is, and will only continue to grow in its importance and contribution to the overall tourism sector within Thailand, and of course the greater Thai economy. Our primary aim is to continue to increase and grow the competitiveness of Thailand as a leading destination for MICE not only within Asia, but the world, further complimenting the amazing tourism industry that we already are so fortunate to be a part of.”