The average MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) traveller spends three times as much as the average tourist, with the industry attracting more than 900,000 business travellers last year who spent some Bt100 billion.

“The MICE industry is a hub of knowledge to be disseminated, exchanged and shared. And thus, it facilitates innovations in each sector” of the economy, the TCEB chief said.

He spoke on the topic “MICE as an Engine for Thailand 4.0” at a seminar held by the Thailand Management Association (TMA).

Weerasak said the global meetings industry was growing, even in Europe and the United States, and was expanding rigorously in Asia.

“In Asia, it is growing because of the [region’s burgeoning] middle class. We like the MICE industry the most, since we believe knowledge is a tool to help us improve our social and economic status,” he said.

The TCEB views MICE participants as not just “business travellers”, but as “business investors”.

Weerasak said TCEB research had found a need for Thailand to formulate a law dedicated to the MICE industry.

The proposed MICE Act is expected help MICE organisers overcome the problem of having to deal with as many as 165 regulations issued by 40 government agencies.

“For example, if one wanted to organise a grilled-food fair, it would be very difficult,” he said. “Because if there is a wood stick, it has to be approved by the Royal Forest Department. If there is a shrimp, you will have to go to the Fishery Department.

“If it is chicken, you have to go to the Livestock Department. If there is a bell pepper, you have to visit the Department of Agriculture Extension. If there are the sauces, you will have to go to the Food and Drug Administration.

“In some exhibitions, organisers still can’t get their souvenirs out [of the port] after their fairs are finished. This was not because of customs, but [the souvenirs] got struck by some of these 165 regulations.”

The TCEB also wants the government to set up a joint public-private-sector committee dedicated to the MICE industry that meets once every quarter to create a one-stop service for MICE applications.

The bureau also wants to be empowered to help foreign film crews in Thailand to shoot things like commercials and movies to promote the country effectively and free of charge.

“We’re taking care of [about] 500 film crews per year. This number is set to grow to 700,” he said.

Christian Mutschlechner, director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, told the TMA conference that the Vienna Tourism Board received 72 per cent of the bureau’s incomes from a local accommodation tax that was levied at 3.2 per cent of net room rates.

“It is not fixed, but is based on the success of hotels to sell the best prices to their customers,” he said.

Mutschlechner said the key success factors of his bureau included its neutrality and it accepting no membership, as well as keeping its management and staff in general largely in tact.

“We’re in the business that plans for 2020, 2023, 2024. And thus stability of staff is key to success,” he said.