DESPITE a challenging start to the year due to Bangkok’s ongoing political turmoil, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) is seeing business returning to usual, according to Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, president of NCC Management & Development, which operates the venue.
“The MICE impacts were not much initially, but the Bangkok shutdown (on January 13) and the state of emergency (invoked on January 21) worsened the situation for us. The emergency decree resulted in a lot of cancellations and postponements – some organisers postponed their shows till the third or fourth quarters this year or even skip this year’s edition,” said Sakchai.
As show organisers were worried about transport and access to the convention centre due to its proximity to the Asoke intersection, where one of the main protest rallies is located, the QSNCC team quickly worked to convey the message to clients alongside photo updates that venue access was not obstructed; visitors can enter QSNCC directly from MRT subway station or via road access from Rama IV Road and the expressway.
“We worked very hard to persuade the first client to come back,” said Sakchai. “Once the first show, 17th Thailand Baby & Kids Best Buy (February 6-9), proceeded, other organisers were encouraged to continue their shows. Thailand Mobile Expo and 6th Shopping Paradise Fair (both February 13-16) took place just last week and this week we are seeing the 14th Thai International Travel Fair (February 20-23).
“Our events (bookings) from February onwards are already back to normal,” Sakchai added, although he admitted that there are “some problems with minor cancellations” as some 5-10 per cent of exhibitors dropped out of the shows.
At the same time, QSNCC also saw some spillover meetings and small exhibitions traffic diverted from other downtown venues such as Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, he said.
Overseas confidence is visibly more shaken as organisers of potential new international shows are mostly doing site inspections now while the bidding front is “still quiet”, Sakchai admitted. But in spite of a shaky start to 2014, the number of international shows at QSNCC this year is expected to increase 30 per cent from 2013, he shared.
To restore organisers’ confidence, QSNCC has rolled out various “value-add packages” including such perks as complimentary advertisements with the centre on local publications and social media sites, discounted subway fares, F&B discounts at the venue and special rates for overseas visitors at partner hotels, Sakchai said.
International shows such as Asian Paper (April 23-25), 10th International Mycological Congress (September 24-26), Cosmobeaute Thailand (September 24-26) and EcoLightTech Asia (November 12-14) are scheduled to take place as usual.
