Pattaya named model city for meetings, exhibitions

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

Pattaya, Chon Buri

PATTAYA: -- The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has made Pattaya the MICE City role model for all key destinations in the Kingdom, such as Phuket and Chiang Mai.

Before his resignation from the TCEB presidency took effect on March 31, Akapol Sorasuchart said last week that the bureau and the City of Pattaya had jointly introduced six MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) "routes" for international and local corporates, destination management companies and professional convention organisers.

The routes have been designed and developed from TCEB's research, with Chon Buri and Pattaya identified as offering six distinct types of activity: adventure tourism, history and culture, factory site inspection, green tourism activities, corporate social responsibility projects and luxury tourism products.

"Information related to the six routes will be provided via the D-MICE [at] Pattaya mobile application," said Akapol.

Pattaya Mayor Ithipol Kunplome said his city had been an international tourist destination for many decades, particularly for leisure travellers, who spend about Bt3,000 per day per head. The city now wants to welcome more business travellers, who usually spend about Bt4,000 each per day, in the near future.

Easily accessible from Bangkok, at 140 kilometres from the capital, Pattaya also offers nearly 400 international standard hotels, with a combined 28,459 rooms available.

The city boasts three large convention centres: the Eastern Convention Centre at Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel, the Eastern National Sports Training Centre and the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall (PEACH) at Royal Cliff Beach Resort.

Akapol added that following the six MICE routes identified for Pattaya, the TCEB would work with other cities that have high potential for MICE events, such as Chiang Mai and Phuket, to create suitable new routing for activities in those areas.

Once everything is ready, the bureau will develop mobile applications for these cities as well.

The TCEB hopes the applications will help penetrate the markets for new-generation customers, corporates and international companies outside the country. This should bring new business opportunities to key MICE destinations, he said.

To ready itself and cash in on this new opportunity, Panga Vathanakul, managing director at Royal Cliff Hotels Group and the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall, said her hotel had earmarked about Bt100 million for |the introduction of a Fantasea kids' |club and renovation of the lobby and a restaurant this year in a bid to attract family customers as well as MICE travellers.

-- The Nation 2012-04-03

the big advantage is for the participant for those exhibitions or conventions the great entertainment , the gogo bars etc .... is that a joke ?

I have to find out what those guys are smoking . I'll sell it in Europe and get rich

MICE events and arrangements are normally such that the average resident may never see those attending.

They are top end visitors normally and stay at top end hotels and resorts, may play golf, and see major attractions - which need not include Walking Street.

Model City?

Wow.

Meetings, Exhibitions Conventions in Pattaya...

I sure they will have one thing in common, they will be mainly male dominated events.

D-MICE

Nice name that.

Meetings, Exhibitions Conventions in Pattaya...

I sure they will have one thing in common, they will be mainly male dominated events.

It is not uncommon for wives to attend these events and with separate itineraries while the males have their meetings or whatever.

D-MICE

Nice name that.

I suppose D-Mice will infest Beach Road after they successfully eradicate D-Rats ?

Want to massively improve the desirability of Pattaya as a convention and meeting market? Get a fleet of Bangkok style taxi meters (that use the meters). Duh!

Pattaya = Worldwide Hub Of Relaxation & Entertainment Seaside

Want to massively improve the desirability of Pattaya as a convention and meeting market? Get a fleet of Bangkok style taxi meters (that use the meters). Duh!

Exactly.

The town could reduce it's promotional budget if it would clamp down on the scammers that are busy chasing all the tourists away.

The Mayor states he is after tourists that will spend 1,000 Bt a day more.

Hell, if I could get a taxi ride around town, I'd be spending 1,000 more a day more.

Duh.

Something so simple, so basic, so obvious, and yet seemingly impossible for the government of Pattaya to manage. Sickening, really.

Something so simple, so basic, so obvious, and yet seemingly impossible for the government of Pattaya to manage. Sickening, really.

I think City Hall considers visitors scam-bait.

Something so simple, so basic, so obvious, and yet seemingly impossible for the government of Pattaya to manage. Sickening, really.

I think City Hall considers visitors scam-bait.

There you have it.All tourists are here to get scammed.Thats it.Some won't because they are aware if all of the scamming foreigners and thais but allot don't.I wonder how many different scams are done daily in this city ?

There's a lot more to Pattaya than Walking street/beach road. Most conventions are held at the Royal Cliff in the exhibition hall there.

There's a lot more to Pattaya than Walking street/beach road. Most conventions are held at the Royal Cliff in the exhibition hall there.

Yes, and there should be Bangkok style taxi meters waiting there ...

There's a lot more to Pattaya than Walking street/beach road. Most conventions are held at the Royal Cliff in the exhibition hall there.

Yes, and there should be Bangkok style taxi meters waiting there ...

They were there once, but without the taxis.

So they want tourists to spend Bht1000 more per day..................Easy ! just tell the girls to put their prices up, increase bar fines and bingo! mission accomplished.

As a tourist in Pattaya, it's hard to fart and not spend at least 1000 B per day.

I seem to remember issues the last time Pattaya tried to host an ASEAN Summit! Oh well, mai pen rai and Amazing Thailand forever! Just remember to have helicopters on stand-by if you plan on hosting an event there.

Edited April 3, 201214 yr by khunron13

Ha! Pattaya Named Model City by Pattaya. That's how the headline ought to read.

Looks like petercool and solargolf are the only posters that have actually read this article before responding, shame.

There are great hotels for hosting meetings and with Central Festival shopping center the city seems to give an image that Pattaya is a "normal" city. I just wish the city officials could spend more of their time fixing the sidewalks, getting rid of the junk strung all over the place, and have more garbage bins around so people like me don't have to walk a kilometer before I find a bin to throw away my empty water bottle or other trash. Business people and professionals expect a city to also have a nice, neat appearance--not just 5 star hotels.

Maybe more like meet ups and exhibitionists

Something so simple, so basic, so obvious, and yet seemingly impossible for the government of Pattaya to manage. Sickening, really.

They even have the meters - all they need to do is use them. They can't sort this out - they can't get rid of jet ski scammers. There's a long way to go before I would recommend Pattaya as a destination for any but the hardiest of travellers.

Edited April 3, 201214 yr by tropo

They need to put down the crack pipe and step out into the sunshine for a bit of fresh air as it appears the city fathers are starting to believe their own BS.

I have to find out what those guys are smoking . I'll sell it in Europe and get rich

Yeah...I want some of those drugs...This is hilarious...

I don't envy the businessman trying to convince his wife that Pattaya is famous for adventure tourism, history and culture!

The headline is incorret. It should be "Hub of matings and exhibitionists"