Bangkok. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) organised the Exhibition Day 2013 under the theme “Thai Exhibition at Crossroad” where exhibition business operators and related organisation leaders met and discussed the direction of Thai exhibition industry in light of changing global economic and industry trends.
The event also served as a platform for exchange of valued opinions on the adaptation of Thai exhibition industry towards 2020, and how to prepare for upcoming competition landscape and reinforce Thailand to stay at the forefront of exhibition industry in Asia.
Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Exhibition Director, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau said that “although Thai exhibition industry has continued to maintain its leadership in the ASEAN region for the past recent years, the current global economy, the increasing competition within the region as well as the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community will post huge direct effects to the industry.It’s likely that regional exhibition hub will be shifted from Thailand to other ASEAN emerging markets like Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Myanmar. Thailand needs to prepare to make necessary adaptations to the changing competitive landscape.”
According to the latest UFI Delphi Study conducted by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the trend of the global exhibition industry develops towards 2020 will make trade shows become thought leaders in their businesses and markets while serving as an efficient matchmaking platform between buyers and sellers.
In addition, the UFI Delphi Study showed the list of industry segments with growing importance for exhibition business towards 2020. The top five segments with established presence in exhibition are Energy; Healthcare; Preservation and Restoration; Environmental Protection; Culture, Sport & Entertainment, and Information Technology & Consumer Electronics. Alternatively, the top five new emerging segments are Electric Mobility, Biotechnology, Intelligent Concept for Water Management, Smart & New materials, and Smart House.
“TCEB organised the Exhibition Day 2013 with aim to help the Thai exhibition industry prepare for various changing factors where industry and relevant organisation leaders meet and discuss the new approaches of collaboration, the adoption of innovation to create business value as well as look into the future to identify policy and vision of Thai exhibition industry towards 2020, how Thailand can continue to retain its leadership in the exhibition industry of ASEAN region while paving the way to stay at the forefront of the industry in Asia,” added Supawan.
Thailand hosted 90 – 100 international B2B trade shows in 2012, with a total of over 180,000 visitors. TCEB managed to convince 15 new trade shows to Thailand. The total number of exhibitions accredited by international exhibition standard quality currently reached over 40. TCEB anticipated Thai exhibition industry would grow 15 – 20 percent in 2013 and grow 30 percent by 2015, with a total number of 545,000 visitors and total revenue of Bt 46,500 million.
www.tceb.or.th