Thailand is shifting the focus from tourism revenue to investing in long-term urban development for its business events sector.
At the recent TCEB Strategic Direction 2026 briefing, Suratsa Thongmee, senior vice president of domestic marketing at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), unveiled a new vision where events serve as a “stamp of trust” for investors.
She indicated that successfully hosting mega-events proves a city’s management capability and infrastructure readiness, signalling that the destination can support long-term industrial investment.
“MICE is not about organising events or tourism; it is a critical investment mechanism that builds trust and confidence in a destination’s ability to support industry and economic growth,” Suratsa stated.
That is because business events are able to validate a city’s capacity to handle complex logistics and large population flows.
“If a mega-event MICE project is held in a certain area, it shows the city has the management to create change,” Suratsa explained.
This capability, she noted, creates a belief among investors that if a city can support mass gatherings, it can also support new businesses and industries.
To execute this vision, TCEB is employing a comprehensive MICE 4D strategy designed to shift the industry’s focus from quantity to quality.
A key component of this strategic direction involves “Strategic Area Profiling”, which maps specific “Future Focus” industries to Thailand’s diverse regions.
For instance, the north will focus on creative cultural industries, the north-east on medical wellness, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) on advanced manufacturing and mobility, the central region on food security and biotechnology, and the south on premium wellness markets.
This regional specificity allows cities to develop International Property (IP) based on local identities, moving beyond generic tourism to specialised business hubs.
“Beyond immediate revenue, MICE creates jobs and fosters a sense of ownership among residents, ultimately encouraging the new generation to remain in their home cities rather than migrating,” she emphasised.
