The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has set a target of 371.3 billion baht (US$11.7 billion) in business events expenditure for 2026, aiming to elevate the sector’s GDP contribution to around 1.8 per cent following a robust performance in 2025.
Speaking at the TCEB Strategic Direction 2026 announcement last week, TCEB president Supawan Teerarat revealed that the industry had successfully entrenched itself as a critical economic engine over the past fiscal year.
According to bureau data, business events expenditure in 2025 hit 338.2 billion baht, generating a GDP contribution of 310.8 billion baht, and creating 300,000 jobs.
Supawan opined that “these numbers still have the potential to increase”, which is why TCEB’s 2026 roadmap projects significant growth across all key metrics.
Beyond the expenditure target, the bureau forecasts tax payments to the state rising to 27.5 billion baht, up from 25.1 billion in 2025, while job creation is expected to swell to 334,817 positions.
Supawan also outlined a vision positioning prioritising deep expertise and data over generic destination marketing, stating that the bureau has identified a fundamental structural change from traditional B2B models to B2C dynamics, where individual participants now drive market demand.
This shift introduces non-traditional competitors from the creator economy. Media entities and influencers owning community data are now effectively functioning as organisers, challenging established players who lack specific expertise or follower bases.
“MICE is no longer just about thinking in terms of organisation to organisation. We must design experiences that cater to participants directly,” Supawan stated.
To counter digital saturation and what TCEB’s MICE Intelligence centre terms the “AI-Trust Paradox”, TCEB’s positioning of Thailand as “Global Asia’s Trusted Gateway” prioritises face-to-face interaction as a verification tool.
As AI-generated content creates scepticism regarding what is real, physical events offer authenticity that digital platforms cannot replicate.
“The more digital the world becomes, the more we need MICE to meet in person. We can touch the ‘six senses’ within that MICE space. MICE itself must build trust, which is the most important factor above all because the trust economy is a new currency,” Supawan said.
Looking further ahead, the bureau is actively bidding for mega-events between 2027 and 2030, including a potential Formula One race in Bangkok for 2028, Korat Expo 2029, and WorldPride 2030.
