Capitalising on Success of ‘Spice Up Your Business Agenda’ to Position Thailand as Premiere MICE Destination in Asia
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB unveiled a Digital MICE strategy and online marketing plan highlighting the ‘Biz Thailand’ mobile application – an information gateway for MICE travellers –and the third edition of the ‘Spice Up Your Business Agenda’ campaign, targeting China and CLMV.
Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, TCEB President disclosed that, “This year TCEB continues to promote the readiness of Thailand’s MICE industry through a comprehensive Digital MICE marketing strategy, utilising online channels to support the bureau’s key marketing activities while aligning both traditional and digital activities in the same strategic direction, consistent with the government’s Digital Economy policy – driving growth for the MICE industry, while serving as an effective economic growth driver. ”
TCEB’s four key online marketing initiatives in 2016 include the enhancement of the innovative Thai MICE website atwww.businesseventsthailand.com by providing comprehensive information on MICE products and services, available in eight languages, and the ‘Biz Thailand’ mobile application to seamlessly leverage the TCEB website user experience catering to target audiences across the globe; online marketing tools and digital sales kits including a blog, digital brochure, photo and video content, as well as infographics and digital sales kits.
TCEB’s online marketing promotions and PR campaigns to build awareness of Thailand’s MICE industry and reinforce the country’s positive image as a premiere MICE destination, highlighting the five key MICE Cities and other high potential cities, will be implemented by integrating both traditional and digital activities, targeting international and domestic MICE travellers in parallel.
For the international market, TCEB will build on the success of the Spice Up Your Business Agenda campaign in its third edition, following strong results from last year’s campaign, which included more than 25,000 e-coupon downloads, and 35,000 Privilege Coupon Booklets distributed. For the domestic market, the promotion of MICE activities in local areas to help sustainably generate MICE revenue among communities – in accordance with the government’s people’s state policy – include the Digital MICE Award 2016, ‘Young VDO Contest’ and ‘MICE Trip Challenge’ campaigns. Lastly, the development of MICE marketing and industry knowledge hub will be achieved through the ‘MICE Moves’ digital magazine, targeting domestic MICE professionals, students, and members of the public.
Mrs. Sarita Chintakanond, Director, Information Technology Department, TCEB added that “The Biz Thailand mobile application, available in Thai and English, has been developed to provide easy access to Thai MICE industry for smartphone users, as today, users tend to connect to the internet via smartphones more than PCs or tablets. The mobile application pools together useful information on attractions, restaurants, hotels, flight details, MICE venues in Bangkok and other major cities. The location-specific feature will also help update special promotions and activities in the area in real-time, and users can easily share this information through their social networks. The Biz Thailand app is available for download now from the App Store and Google Play.”
Through the third edition of the Spice Up Your Business Agenda competition in 2016, TCEB will expand its collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International PCL, the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade Promotion, Thai Smile Airways Limited, and Visa International (Thailand). The competition aims to utilise online channels to attract wider target audiences of high quality MICE travellers with ‘Social Connectivity’, encompassing special privileges such as 10% hotel discounts, 50% car rental discounts, airport transfers, and 50% off golf course green fees, as well as Bt500 cash coupons. This is to provide MICE travellers from around the world unrivalled experiences, and to help stimulate spending and longer stays in the Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.SpiceupYourBusinessAgenda.com.
Additionally, the third edition of the Spice Up Your Business Agenda 2016 campaign also adds special benefits for MICE travellers from China, as the number one contributor to the Thai MICE sector in 2014-2015 in terms of number of visitors and revenue, representing around 20.16% of revenue from Asia. Privileges will also be offered to MICE travellers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (or CLMV) who attend meetings and exhibitions in Thailand. The campaign will also extend to Thai MICE travellers, as well as VISA Commercial, and VISA SME Cardholders in Thailand.
“The promotion of Thailand’s MICE industry through online marketing initiatives in 2016 will help drive our visibility via online channels from international online users, generating more than 4,500,000 views, a 50 per cent increase from 2015 at 3,000,000 views, while local online users are expected to account for more than 1,400,000 views, a 133 per cent increase from 2015 at 600,000 views. Page views of the TCEB website specifically are expected to reach 253,000 views, a 15 per cent increase over 2015 at 220,000 views. We are confident that our Digital MICE strategy will be an integral part of helping to drive Thailand’s MICE industry to meet this year’s target of 1,060,000 MICE travellers, generating Bt92,000 million for the Thai economy,” concluded Mr. Nopparat.
