There are ongoing efforts by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to turn Phitsanulok province in Thailand’s northern central into a MICE city, and using business events as a way to stimulate economic growth and better the region’s wealth distribution.
The aim of turning it into a MICE city is, among others, to assist the population in the lower northern region to escape the middle-income trap by increasing revenue generated from business events travellers and value-added services. This move will also increase investment activities and distribution of wealth across Thailand’s lower northern provinces, shared Chuta Tarachai, senior manager at TCEB.
The four strategies under the Phitsanulok MICE City Plan (2018 to 2021) involve promoting the city and marketing it as a value destination for business events; uplifting local business events activities to an international level; enhancing skills and competencies of local business event suppliers to support industry development; and upgrading infrastructure to support business event activities.
For instance, several ongoing developments include a new conference venue at Naresuan University, alongside a new Bangkok-Phitsanulok double-track rail transport.
To better the region’s connectivity, the government is looking into the feasibility of upgrading Phitsanulok Airport into an international airport, as well as land links with Indochina and other South-east Asian countries.
The government is also angling Phitsanulok to transform itself into a health and wellness destination, which would appeal to health-conscious groups that could consider such activities post-event.
