CAPITAL STRENGTH

With the general elections concluded peacefully, Bangkok’s convention and exhibition industry is eagerly looking to the future and to welcoming two big international events this year.
The Thai capital’s strong suite of convention and exhibition facilities has enabled it to win The Lions Clubs’ International Convention, an event that is likely to attract 30,000 delegates to
Bangkok in June, as well as ITU Telecom Asia 2008 in September.

A third event, the 15th Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) event, which is now paired with the Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific conference, will also be calling Bangkok
home until 2012 after a successful exhibition was held here last year. The exhibitions sector dominates the business travel industry in Thailand and the market is currently worth between US$300 million and US$320 million a year. Currently it is growing by between 20 per cent and 30 per cent per year.

With the total space available in the city currently more than 200,000 sqm, Bangkok
is more than capable of handling any business that comes its way.

OVERSUPPLY
Some industry players have suggested there is an oversupply of exhibition and convention
venues in Thailand. Their complaints intensified when Airports of Thailand announced a plan to build a US$310 million

CAPITAL STRENGTH
With business booming, the management of Bangkok’s convention and exhibition venues
have little doubt about the city’s long-term potential. Kate Nicholson reports hotel, exhibition centre and shopping complex on a 160-hectare plot next to Suvarnabhumi Airport. The plan, on which construction is expected to begin next year, has been met with scepticism by industry
leaders. The vice-president of the Trade Exhibition Association (Thai), Nikom Lertmalligaporn, says Bangkok should focus on improving the international and domestic events it already has instead of building another venue.

“We already have five major convention and exhibition venues in Bangkok,” he says.
“The venues are, on average, running at 60 per cent. We would advise against another
venue. The exhibition industry has the opportunity to increase the business coming
into Thailand.”