The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is targeting 18.5 million Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) travellers this fiscal year with revenue recovering to over 50% of the level recorded before the pandemic.
Its five-year strategy will focus on attracting more big and international events and maintaining the strong contribution from the domestic segment, said TCEB president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.
The bureau expects the Mice segment to generate 109 billion baht, with 54% or 59 billion baht derived from domestic travellers.
In 2019, Thailand welcomed 30.8 million travellers who generated more than 201 billion baht in revenue.
Mr Chiruit said the industry has learned that domestic events are a major opportunity for growth and a strong foundation, especially during the Covid-19 outbreak when it contributed significant revenue.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2023, between October and December 2022, Thailand posted 7.9 million travellers, earning 28.5 billion baht.
As China recently dropped travel restrictions, Mr Chiruit said this market will gradually pick up and will come back around June or the third quarter.
He said some event organisers want to save their budgets, such as travel expenses for speakers, so they have turned to online meetings instead.
However, he believed technology cannot totally disrupt face-to-face meetings. The business sector might opt for hybrid meetings, blending on-site and virtual experiences.
As the tourism industry is facing a manpower shortage, Mr Chiruit said the new employment trend would see more flexible jobs and attractive benefits.
The government should help support more short training courses for new generation employees.
To increase the number of events, the bureau is now pushing for Phuket to host the Specialised Expo 2028, competing with other candidates like Minnesota in the US, San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina and Belgrade in Serbia.
The result will be announced in June.
Other important events under its five-year strategy include the International Horticultural Expo 2026 in Udon Thani.
It will also partner with government agencies through the "One Ministry, One Convention" project, such as bidding for the World Bank Group meetings in 2026 together with the Finance Ministry.