Bangkok’s global ranking as a convention city has moved up from 8th place in 2020 to 6th in 2021 in the latest edition of International Convention Destination Competitive Index compiled by Australia-based convention and meetings industry consultancy GainingEdge. The annual report is an analysis of 101 destinations with the largest number of international association meetings from 2017–2019 according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
Cities are ranked in terms of their infrastructure, accessibility, logistics, professional community, destination appeal, and cost to meeting planners and organisers.
The top 10 convention cities for 2021 are:
- Paris
- New York
- Singapore
- Beijing
- Tokyo
- Bangkok
- London
- Barcelona
- Istanbul
- Washington
Bangkok’s improved ranking came at a time when the city is gearing up for a resumption of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) with a new resolve. The city will be hosting the 2022 Global Summit of Women from June 23–25 and unveiling the newly-renovated Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in September. QSNCC will be a venue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November this year. To strengthen Bangkok’s appeal, TCEB is organising international familiarisation trip in late March 2022, featuring new development of the city’s facilities and attractions undertaken during the pandemic.
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) President, Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said, “It is heartening to see Bangkok’s rise to 6th place globally in the International Convention Destination Competitive Annual Report 2021. TCEB, as the Thai Government’s lead agency for business events, is committed to improving the country’ product mix to appeal to international planners and event participants. As we benchmark against the best in the world, we will continue to sharpen Bangkok’s competitive edge through targetted measures.”
“We have expanded the MICE Lane Service to Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, and set up our online One-Stop Service Centre, which will help Thai MICE operators fast-track their dealings with government agencies when organising events with overseas partners. We have also raised our profile in Thailand’s key industrial sectors with the view to help local professional associations bid for and bring international conventions to Thailand.
TCEB’s many initiatives have helped Bangkok distinguish itself from other MICE destinations and we will do more. We have partnered hotels to deliver high-value packages, and brought together MICE operators and tech entrepreneurs under our MICE Winnovation programme to co-create high-tech productivity tools for events. TCEB’s Convene Plus scheme will continue to provide funding support for virtual or hybrid conventions, and events with social, environmental, or economic legacies. We are advancing Thailand’s product mix on many fronts to ensure broad appeal and excellent value.”
The 2021 International Convention Destination Competitive Index is an assessment of product quality in each destination. The report focused on three areas – hygiene factors, competitive advantages, and key differentiators. The index is based on primary research and third-party sources such as ICCA, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations. It is designed to help cities identify the best course of action to speed up their recovery from the pandemic-induced market downturn.
