In collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Bangkok has been selected to host the international event to showcase the city’s capability as a regional hub for international-standard meetings and conventions, Chadchart has said.
The event will highlight the unique charms and diversity of Bangkok that have made it a preferred destination among business and leisure tourists worldwide, he added.
ICCA is an international organisation dedicated to improving the standard of conventions by exchanging information among members and promoting the organisation of international conventions worldwide.
Established in 1963, the ICCA is headquartered in the Netherlands and currently has over 1,000 public and private agency members from over 100 countries.
Its members in Thailand include the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, and Impact Arena.
Each year, the ICCA Congress attracts over 1,000 representatives from member agencies. The event is also joined by about 100 executives and representatives from leading organisations and associations in related industries.
Since Thailand joined ICCA in 1974, it has been selected to host the annual congress twice. First in Bangkok in 1984 and then in Pattaya in 2007.
Chadchart said at least 2,000 foreign nationals and about 200 Thais are expected at this year’s event, which will be the 62nd ICCA Congress.
Joining the ICCA and hosting ICCA Congress is crucial to Thailand and Bangkok, as the association is the major global agency in ranking countries based on their capacity to host international conventions.
The ranking is also used by the World Economic Forum as an indicator for each country’s competitiveness in the tourism industry, Chadchart added.