TAT considers Thai venues for IT&CMA three-year deal

By Mark Armsden KUALA LUMPUR Regional trade show Incentive Travel & Conferences, Meetings Asia (IT& CMA) moves to Bangkok next year after five years in Kuala Lumpur. This year's show at the Malaysia International Exhibition & Convention Centre on October 23-25 was hampered slightly by hosted buyers cancelling after September 11. Although the atmosphere at the show was "business-like" most delegates welcomed the change to a new venue. IT&CMA 2002 will take place on October 15-17. Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor Ms Juthamas Siriwan said the venue would be confirmed soon. "We have had some very competitive bids from venues," she said. CEI Asia Pacific understands the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center has submitted the best bid so far. IT&CMA is likely to be rotated during the three years it is in Thailand. Both the TAT and organiser TTG Asia Media have committed next year's show to Bangkok but Pattaya and Chiang Mai are candidates for the second and third years. Ms Juthamas said Phuket could also become a contender for the show in 2004 when a planned convention centre is due to open. "The government has given approval to build convention centres in Chiang Mai and Phuket," she said. "We are in the process of selecting the venue in Phuket but we have the site and are going ahead in Chiang Mai and that centre will concentrate more on exhibitions rather than conferences and meetings. "We already have a venue in Pattaya with the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall." TTG Asia Media executive director Mr Darren Ng said a decision would be made after the first installation of the show in Thailand.