By Andrew Starke in Bangkok

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled a new incentive campaign targeting the international MICE industry.

Called ‘Thailand Maximize’ and promising that ‘nowhere else offers more for your business event’, the new look hopes to revitalise the country’s image to meeting and incentive visitors over the final quarter of 2009 and 2010.

The campaign has debuted to the 2000 delegates at the 17th Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and 12th Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific (CTW) being held at the Bangkok Convention Centre.

“The ‘Thailand Maximize’ stems from the integration between the country’s core strengths and strategic marketing plan, based on an international outlook,” said TCEB’s director of meetings and incentives, Malinee Kitaphanich.

The ‘Max Package’ will include ‘Max Value’, ‘Max Rewards’ and ‘Max Bonus’ for organisers and buyers depending on their type of meeting, incentive convention or exhibition in Thailand.

“Those who will enjoy the benefits include meeting groups of 50 -100 persons or more, golfing groups, team building groups, educational tour groups and corporate visitor groups under the Connection Plus Programme,” said Kitaphanich.

The TCEB hopes the campaign will return its number of MICE visitors to 2008 levels after a significant drop-off over 2009.
In 2008 Thailand attracted 727,723 MICE travelers with about half of these from the meetings and incentives sectors.

It is expected that this overall figure will drop to about 500,000 for 2009 and about 636,000 MICE visitors are forecast for 2010.