Venues & Events
Vietnam sees first trade-promoting collaboration with Thailand
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- Category: Venues & Events
- Created on Friday, 17 August 2012 11:41
TCEB hosts a training seminar providing support to Vietrade members in expanding businesses in ASEAN through Thailand’s international exhibitions platform
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau is on its second mission to Vietnam following the agreement to encourage ASEAN MICE Collaboration under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the bureau and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) last two years. This second time of visit aims to encourage more trading activities between two countries through Thailand’s vibrant international exhibitions. On this occasion, the bureau, in collaboration with Vietrade, organizes a training seminar for members of Vietrade on how to maximize business opportunities at regional levels through international exhibitions platform.The visit follows the previously-signed MOU which aimed to pave the way to establish a long-term strategic partnership in order to enhance cooperation between the two countries’ exhibition industry by conducting market survey in ASEAN region, providing supports to ensure the success of the exhibitions and exchange exhibition information and support. The training seminar was held in regards of mutual benefits of the key stakeholders from both countries over business opportunities generated via Thailand’s trade exhibitions.
At the seminar, participants will get to learn about Vietnamese government fund that supports Vietnamese exhibitions, how to make most of an exhibition booth, how to set up a national pavilion and what to do to participating in Thailand’s exhibitions.
Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, director of exhibitions at TCEB, said that “On behalf of TCEB, we are really glad to return to Vietnam once again and to implement more collaboration as agreed in MOU with Vietrade, to develop potential Vietrade members with best practice from Thai leading professional organizers and service providers with the cooperation from Thai exhibition association, under topic “Maximize business opportunity in AEC through trade exhibition” and expect to increase more business potentials via using Thailand as exhibition platform for regional exposure. And the same time to exchange useful information with Vietnamese businesspeople regarding trading opportunities, trend of Vietnam’s trading and their global trade fair participation”.
With the underlining of 5 real demand sectors of ASEAN including Transport, ICT, Energy, Education and Culture, and Tourism, these have nurtured Thailand’s competitive advantage on its key highlight industries. Thailand’s 8 key highlight industries comprise of automobile and machinery, food and agriculture, tourism, medical industry, Jewelry, Garment and Textile, Energy, and Infrastructure. These are the fundamental industries that drive the nation’s economy where International Trade Shows being held in Thailand are the key driver.
In 2011, trade turnover between Thailand and Vietnam was accumulated to increase by 25 percent, reaching USD 9,086 in which Vietnam’s export to Thailand increases by 45 per cent. At present, Thailand has over 230 investment projects in the pipeline, ranking among the top ten countries investing in Vietnam. During January – May 2012, Thai export to Vietnam was worth USD 2.63 billion while import from Vietnam to Thailand was worth USD 0.9 billion, an increase by 45 per cent against the same period last year.
In the wake of ASEAN and the current focus on the conglomeration of AEC, Thailand is undeniably located at its center while its wide-ranging international exhibitions will help springboard Vietnamese businesses in the region. Thailand possesses world-class facilities and event venues, transportation infrastructure with more than 500 international flights per week to 191 major cities around the world plus airport-to-city linkage, good-value-for-money in business and leisure, professional service with Thai hospitality.
Thailand’s exhibition industry marks the highest growth in ASEAN at 70% growth rate annually in terms of event space sold and the top 10 visitors and exhibitors are from ASEAN countries. The country has been taking the lead in the region in terms of number of trade fairs identified, estimated annual size, average size per fair and estimated annual revenue.
According to the latest statistics compiled by UFI in 2012, the exhibitions industry of Thailand continues to lead rivals in ASEAN with total of value of 151 million US dollars gained through 77 events, putting Thailand above competitors in the region. Furthermore, Thailand has maintained the leadership in the exhibitions industry of ASEAN in other aspects, such as the exhibition space totaling up to 462,500 square meters each year, as well as having nine well-equipped exhibition venues.
“Thailand and Vietnam have seen long-established economic relationship and the tie is likely to grow tighter as the AEC is becoming reality. We do believe that this cooperation in MICE industry will help encourage even more direct trading and nurture economic relationship between Thailand and Vietnam for years to come and will open up Vietnamese businesses to increase their trading value through Thailand’s exhibition platform. ” added Mrs. Supawan.
In 2012, Thailand is expected to welcome approximately 750,000 MICE visitors to the country, generating expected revenues of 1,940 million US dollars whereby accumulated to exhibitions and trade fairs of 80,000 visitors, generating expected revenues of 255 million US dollars.
