A series of digital trade shows and activities are being lined up to capitalise on the booming digital economy in Thailand and across Southeast Asia.
Starting from this month, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will kick off its "Empowering Thailand Exhibition", or Emtex, a year-round initiative specifically to strengthen business events in domestic market.
Next year, Impact Exhibition Management and Germany's Deutsche Messe are set to co-host CeBIT Asean Thailand 2018 on Oct 18-20 at Impact Exhibition and Convention Center.
The entry of Deutsche Messe is expected to reinforce the digital business sector in Thailand as well as in Southeast Asia region.
"CeBIT Asean is new in our portfolio, but it is so important for digital economy. Thailand is moving towards the 4.0 economic model, emphasising on creativity, innovation and technology," said Impact general manager Loy Joon How.
Marius Felzmann, CeBIT senior vice-president, Deutsche Messe said: "Investors will have the chance to meet global clients and they can work on the digital business that is booming across the Asian region".
CeBIT is the largest and most internationally represented computer expo, which is held annually in Hanover, Germany. The additional Asean version to be held in Thailand will significantly help to elevate the business of Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions).
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, TCEB president, said it will work with new alliances such as Board of Investment (BoI) and Thai Chamber of Commerce to drive the Mice business by looking at potential markets.
"TCEB will help conduct the calendar of events and business activities for these sectors. The goal is to drive the use of innovations and push business events in parallel with the current Thailand 4.0 initiative implemented by the government," Mr Chiruit said.
Targeted markets are food, agriculture, biotechnology, public health and wellness, energy, transport, communication, and entertainment.
For the global markets, Mr Chiruit sees Asean, CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) and the Greater Mekong subregion as the first primary market. Next is Europe, followed by Eastern Europe and Latin America.
TCEB expects that in the 2018 fiscal year, which ends on Sept 30, 2018, there will be a total of 30.1 million Mice travellers in Thailand, generating revenue of 174 billion baht. Of the figure, 1.29 million will be international visitors and the rest domestic.
From statistics over the past 10 years, Thailand's Mice industry contributed an average revenue of 150 billion baht a year and created some 164,000 jobs, with the government earning 10.5 billion baht in taxation.
In 2016, the International Congress and Convention Association ranked Thailand 24th in terms of hosting meetings, an improvement from 27th in 2015, with main venues Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya notching up higher positions from the previous year.
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry ranked Thailand the No.1 in Asean nations in terms of exhibition space sold over five years (2011-15).