Biz SpotlightThailand offers plenty of business and investment opportunities. Whether you’re an entrepreneurial individual, a growing small- and medium enterprise, or a cash-rich corporation looking to establish or expand your presence in the kingdom, Biz Spotlight provides up-to-date insights into the country’s business and financial sectors.
Steve Thompson recently got the opportunity to meet up with Loy Joon How, the Singaporean general manager of IMPACT Exhibition Management, the company responsible for the management of the IMPACT Arena, Exhibition and Convention Center located just a short drive from Bangkok in Muang Thong Thani.
Steve Thompson (ST): In terms of Thailand's MICE market, roughly speaking, how much business does IMPACT attract?
Loy Joon How (LJH):The MICE market is a segment within the hospitality industry. The market comprises many players from various sectors, ranging from hotels, exhibition and conference organizers, destination management companies, event management companies, conference centers, exhibition venues, transportation companies, food service businesses, destination attractions, contractors and so on.
As an exhibition and convention venue, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani is one of the biggest centers in Asia. With an indoor space of over 140,000 square meters, IMPACT is the second biggest venue of its kind in Asia, after Paizhou Exhibition Center in Guangzhou (China). And our 60,000 sq m Challenger Hall is currently the world's biggest 'column-free' hall.
Annually, IMPACT hosts over 450 events and welcomes over 15 million visitors. Events organized at IMPACT include banquets, concerts, conferences, conventions, examinations, exhibitions, functions, meetings, parties, seminars, weddings and workshops. We have our own in-house F&B catering services, catering to functions and events with as few as 10 people in attendance, right up to huge events attended by up to 30,000 people. We also operate our own restaurants at IMPACT.
ST: Could you briefly explain your business model to our readers please?
LJH: Our business model is to provide our customers with a one-stop or turnkey solution. Therefore, we have our own event-organizing and management arm, a wedding planning arm, as well as a ticketing arm (Total Reservations) for travel and other ticketing-related services, such as the booking of concert or conference tickets.
ST: How much has the MICE market grown over recent years?
LJH:The MICE sector across Asia has been experiencing strong growth due to strong government support.
This sector has long been recognized by many Asian nations and cities as an important generator of foreign revenue income for their economies, including Thailand. Asian convention and exhibition bureaus are in direct competition with each another to host MICE events and arrivals to their respective countries. ST: Is that also the case with regard to the MICE market in Thailand?
LJH:In Thailand, according to figures released by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the MICE industry has been growing at an average annual rate of 15-20% over recent years. In fact, the TCEB targeted 1.1 million MICE visitors to Thailand in 2009. But I guess, given the current global economic situation, this target is unlikely to be achieved.
ST:Could you explain to our readers how the events of last year impacted on the MICE sector?
LJH:The year 2008 proved to be a bad time for Thailand's MICE industry. The year began positively, but by the third quarter (Q3), continuing political unrest, which led to the airport closure, and the slump in the global economy clearly dampened the market significantly. And I reckon that 2009 is going to be equally, if not more challenging. We will just have to wait and see if there will be any positives ahead in 2010.
ST: What's the split (roughly) at IMPACT in terms of domestic and foreign customers?
LJH:While meetings, incentives and conventions tend to attract more foreign delegates, the exhibition landscape is largely dominated by domestic events. So the ratio for domestic versus international exhibitions in Thailand stands at about 70:30. This means that our customers tend to be mainly local players or international organizers that have a local presence (in Thailand).
ST: How would you describe IMPACT's business in terms of the
region – is it 'the biggest', 'most popular' in any particular field,
for example?
LJH:IMPACT is one of the biggest and most modern exhibition and convention centers in Asia.
In terms of services, we are one of a handful of venues in Asia that
provide total solutions for our customers, such as in-house F&B
catering services, event management services, visitor relationship
management services, a ticketing arm, as well as logistic and
operational support.
We are renowned for providing our customers with excellent and
personalized services. From our hardware side, we offer our customers:
a venue with state-of-the-art technology with 5-star ultra-modern
facilities; a venue that is flexible to suit all their conference and
convention needs; a venue with a great ambiance and atmosphere for
their delegates; a venue with first class F&B catering and services
that will impress their delegates; and; a venue that provides a
one-stop solution, ranging from travel arrangements, transportation,
on-site support and value-added services to ensure the success of their
events. ST: Of all the sub-category groups under the MICE category, which provide the most business for IMPACT?
LJH:Exhibitions, conventions, meetings and F&B services are our key
revenue streams, We are also an ideal venue for large-scale
international concerts.
ST: Does IMPACT receive any (government) subsidies for particular events?
LJH:The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau provides international
marketing support grants to all organizers who organize events in
Thailand.
As a venue, we do not receive any government
subsidies to host events. If there are any subsidies, they are normally
accorded to the organizers.
But as an event organizer, we do benefit from these grants when we
organize our own events, for example our Building Maintenance and Asset
Management Expo Asia.
Biz Spotlight 
Biz Spotlight
Thailand offers plenty of business and investment opportunities. Whether you’re an entrepreneurial individual, a growing small- and medium enterprise, or a cash-rich corporation looking to establish or expand your presence in the kingdom, Biz Spotlight provides up-to-date insights into the country’s business and financial sectors.
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