TCEB TO SPOTLIGHT VENUE STANDARD, PROMOTING THAILAND AS ASIA’S MICE BUSINESS HUB

Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, disclosed that Thailand MICE Venue Standards : TMVS is one of key projects that aims to leverage the capabilities of Thailand’s MICE industry to grow in par with international competitors with genuine competitiveness, which is in accordance with the government’s policy to feature MICE as one of the businesses that generates main income for the country. “Standardisation is a key element of trustworthiness and is a tool to assure the country’s readiness. It reflects the professionalism of Thailand’s MICE venue operators in regard to attract events, as well as domestic and international organisers to choose industry-standard venues. Launched in 2014, the project has been warmly welcomed by venue operators. Thailand is the first in ASEAN to initiate MICE venue standard certification, and push forward as ASEAN MICE Venue Standards : AMVS” 

Achievements of the project have fulfilled the previous 5-year venue development model scheme (2015-2019), which comprises 6 key strategies, including the development of Thailand MICE Venue Standard to conform to international standards / development of personnel’s capabilities / development of IT system / public relations and marketing support / promotion of venue standard among ASEAN countries / enforcement of MICE venue standard towards sustainability.         

Currently, the number of entrepreneurs who successfully received TMVS certification totalled 371 venues, which consist of 949 rooms/spaces nationwide. The venues can be divided into 1) Meeting Room Category: 344 venues, totalling 910 rooms 2) Exhibition Venue Category: 11 venues, totalling 23 halls and 3) Special Event Venue: 16 venues, totalling 16 spaces. Additionally, there are Thai entrepreneurs who successfully received the ASEAN MICE Venue Standards or AMVS certification in Meeting Room Category, which accounted for 33 venues nationwide.    

Moreover, with this project, 187 specialists in MICE venue have been developed through Venue Management Course : VMC. Public relations and marketing promotion were provided for certified entrepreneurs who receive the TMVS mark in order to enhance their reputation via offline and online platforms.  

In any case, TCEB has prepared to amend the venue development model scheme of Thailand for 2019-2023, which is a 5-year scheme to drive national MICE forward with the ultimate objective to soar as MICE business hub of Asia that meets international standards. Focusing on increasing industry-standard MICE venues in MICE cities and secondary cities, according to the government’s policy, the mission will be implemented by bringing the number of entrepreneurs with TMVS and AMVS certification in Meeting Room, Exhibition Venue and Special Event Categories to reach 600 venues in total, or equivalent to 1,200 rooms, by 2023.  

Meanwhile, TCEB has been highly determined in cultivating more than 500 specialists through the Venue Management Course : VMC and in promoting Thailand as the leader of the aforementioned training through ASEAN-standard certification. As well, endeavours on public relations and marketing promotion towards the industry standard have been spent via online and offline platforms. Survey of satisfaction has been conducted among service providers and users of such standard in regard to realise economic impacts on each region. In addition, IT system was particularly developed to serve TMVS using Data Platform System for data storage. Database on different types of venues has been built and assessed, while sales opportunities have been expanded through Matching Program powered by our state-of-the-art IT System.