TCEB plans to market itself aggressively this year in the face of global recession and increasing regional competition. The Bureau makes a vital contribution to the country’s MICE business, which itself is an important component of the Thai tourism industry.
According to the Bangkok Post, TCEB is targeting more than 80 international exhibitions, generating revenue of around 12 billion baht (US$336 million) to the country this year. That is the reason why the government body has increased its marketing budget to US $3 million this year, up from US $2.3 million last year.
Also, TCEB plans an increased focus on regional markets as the United States and Europe are impacted by global economic crisis.
Even though Thailand has beaten Singapore in terms of the number of exhibitions, TCEB has found a strong rival in Vietnam where the exhibition centres are backed by the government, unlike Thailand where they are run by private operators.
