The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is stepping up efforts to attract more Malaysian corporate groups, with a target of five per cent annual growth over the next three to five years.
In Kuala Lumpur on September 3, during the Thailand MICE Roadshow in Malaysia 2025, TCEB’s senior vice president, Puripan Bunnag, shared this goal with TTGmice.
Puripan elaborated: “We are positioning Thailand as a destination where MICE travellers can maximise return on investment and return on experience. This is possible due to our constant development of new products and services, not only in Bangkok but also in other MICE cities and potential MICE cities across the country.”
Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai remain the most popular choices for Malaysian groups, but TCEB is also promoting secondary destinations such as Hat Yai, Songkhla, Krabi, Hua Hin, Khao Yai and Ayutthaya.
Puripan revealed that TCEB has been working closely with these destinations to help them develop and craft localised experiences. For instance, Hat Yai and Songkhla are being promoted as a complementary pair, combining modern amenities with cultural and historical richness.
The bureau is also targeting high-value sectors in Malaysia, including banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, automotive, electronics and multi-level marketing companies.
Based on information from TCEB, Malaysian companies are now choosing a wider variety of destinations in Thailand for their corporate events. While popular spots like Bangkok, Pattaya, and Hat Yai were the main choices five years ago, their preferences have since expanded to include cities such as Krabi, Hua Hin, Khao Yai, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
“Our enriched product choices and dual-city programmes deliver a genuine return on investment and experience, with meaningful rewards that go beyond expectations,” Puripan stated.
Malaysia is currently Thailand’s third-largest source of overseas business events travellers after China and India. Within South-east Asia, Malaysia ranks as Thailand’s top source market, ahead of Singapore and Vietnam. From October 2024 to June 2025, Malaysia contributed 125,189 business events delegates to Thailand, or 14.4 per cent of total international business event arrivals to the Kingdom.
