- 2 leading global professional exhibition companies set up ASEAN HQ in Bangkok
- Confidence returns in the expansion of oversea visitors in Thailand
Bangkok – Thailand reinforces its strong position as the exhibitions powerhouse of ASEAN as leading professional exhibition company are making the country their home to Asia-Pacific headquarters, according to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau. More oversea visitors to Thailand’s tradeshow also confirm its status as a platform of AEC.
Two professional exhibition management companies; VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. which is a joint venture between VNU Exhibitions Europe Co., Ltd., Europe’s top five trade show and exhibition management company from the Netherlands and Bangkok-based TCC Land, and Asian Exhibition Services Ltd., under the US-based DMC Services Group.
Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Director of Exhibitions, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), said, “This milestone clearly demonstrates Thailand’s positive long-term potential and the availability of huge supporting infrastructure and services. More importantly, it confirms our success in driving a strategy entitled “Thailand, An Exhibition Platform of AEC” which has boosted exhibition traffic in the country by 10-15 per cent per year. This is in result to the growth number of the new trade and the upgrade show in 2012 and the expansion of oversea exhibitors and visitors of the major shows in Thailand.
According to Mr. Gerard Willem Leeuwenburgh, Managing Director of VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd.; he said, “The world has observed the power shift to Asia. ASEAN is emerging as a rising star in the world economy given its rich resources and strong economic growth. Thailand, being strategically located in the center of the region, is a high potential location with easy transport link to other ASEAN countries, its best infrastructure and service-minded people. In addition, our collaboration with a leading Thai partner makes it viable for us to call Thailand our Asia-Pacific headquarters. With our firm footstep in this region, we are ready to bring our expertise and experience to professionalize Thailand’s events and services to drive the country become the exhibition platform of the AEC.”
Mr. David Aitken, Managing Director & CEO at Asian Exhibition Services (AES) Ltd., said, “We have established our head office in Bangkok since August 2011 as a professional exhibition management company serving the Asian markets. AES is an international Board of Investment listed company with Stock Market investors, organizing their international trade events in Thailand representing the Southeast Asian market for events in Europe, the US, China and South Korea. AES has identified Bangkok as the strategic hub to stage international events in the region and with close TCEB support has successfully established a very strong portfolio with further projects to be launched in 2013.”
In 2012, TCEB has successfully convinced 15 new tradeshows to organize their shows in Thailand and upgraded over 37 shows. At the same time, the number of show audit Certified Trade Exhibition by TCEB rose over to 40 events. In addition, the 4 major trade shows under TCEB’s Better the Best campaigns, the champion show of Thailand, including VIV Asia, Propak Asia, Metalex, Renewable Asia, had grew up their international visitors to 36%, reflecting the high confidence among the international arena
Furthermore, in 2013, TCEB has successfully attracted mega international events to be held in Thailand. Among them are ITU Telecom World 2013 which is expected to attract ministerial level and high profile of 20,000-30,000 telecom participants and the World Stamp Thailand 2013 which is expected to attract 10,000 participants from all over the world. All these events will ensure more confidence among the international exhibition professionals and return in a high number of exhibitors and visitors that help expand the growth of Thailand’s exhibitions industry.
“The forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, Thailand and ASEAN will adapt to be the single market and production base which will be the highest economic growth market. The establishment of these two firms is the stopping stone for Thailand to become the platform of AEC. With the strong potential of Thailand, I believe that more international exhibition professional companies will turn their eyes more on our country to set up their regional office”, left Mrs. Supawan.
It is expected that the international exhibition market in the country will grow by 30 per cent as well as to attract 300,000 visitors, generating income of 30 billion Baht in 2015.
