MICE industry can get an extra boost from concerts, events
MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) operators hope that concerts will help bring the industry back to its pre-pandemic glory.
This year, 106 concerts are set to be held at the Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre in Nonthaburi province, Paul Kanjanapas, CEO of Bangkok Land Plc, operator of Impact, told The Nation.
“Half of these concerts are by K-pop artists, while Thai artists will host some 40 concerts this year at Impact Arena that seats 12,000 persons,” he said.
The CEO said he is confident that fans will continue booking tickets even though they are far more expensive when compared to pre-pandemic prices.
Impact has also been jam-packed with visitors to family-related events that have been held every week since October last year. This trend is expected to continue until the third quarter of 2024, he added.
To facilitate the recovery of the MICE industry, Paul said Bangkok Land has not increased the rental fees for exhibition space in Impact.
The company also plans to upgrade Impact Arena to meet international standards and has been studying partners in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.
Some 1,073 events have been scheduled at Impact this year, marking a 41% jump from last year’s tally.
Surapol Utintu, CEO of NCC Management and Development Ltd, operator of Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok, said the centre has been fully booked until yearend with a variety of events.
“Entertainment-related events, including concerts, are still our main customers that occupy roughly 50% of available space,” he said, adding that the QSNCC expects 20% growth year on year in 2024.
Panittha Buri, managing director of Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec), added that the centre in Bang Na area used a “Plug & Play” approach that allows organisers to prepare their events in a shorter period at a cheaper cost to attract customers in the post-pandemic era.
She added that some of Bitec’s hall space this year had been transformed into the “Beat Active” zone, designed specifically for entertainment and indoor sports events.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), meanwhile, predicts that the MICE industry this year will continue its upward trend after the pandemic with an estimated income of 96 billion baht and some 760,000 visitors.
