The additional cities declared MICE Cities are Chiang Rai in the north, Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast, Rayong on Thailand’s east coast, Hua Hin–Cha-am on the Gulf of Thailand, Krabi on the Andaman coast in the south and Nakhon Si Thammarat, slightly inland in the south.
Chiang Rai is known for its tea and coffee production, creative arts and mountain scenery, while Ubon Ratchathani is known for its cultural heritage and its place on the Mun River, which flows into the Mekong River.
Rayong is a key economic and industrial city – particularly exports – for Thailand, while Hua Hin–Cha-am is a resort destination.
Krabi boasts both beaches and mountains, while Nakhon Si Thammarat also offers mountains and coast, alongside special Buddhist history, from when the city was central to an ancient kingdom.
The six cities were assessed by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) against eight criteria and 32 indicators, covering everything from accommodation, venue standards and event support to connectivity, reputation and safety.
All of the new cities either have at least daily flights to Bangkok or are within a few hours’ drive of the capital.
“With six new MICE Cities, Thailand is expanding the choices available to event organisers while creating more opportunities for destinations across the country to participate in the MICE economy,” said TCEB president, Dr Supawan Teerarat.
“Each city has its own destination DNA, and our role is to help transform these distinctive strengths into meaningful MICE experiences and lasting economic impact.”
Two thirds of the new MICE Cities – Chiang Rai, Rayong, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Hua Hin – are already attracting international conferences, with each of these destinations featured in the annual rankings from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) either this year or last year.
TCEB will now focus on helping the six new MICE Cities gain more business events market share, working with each destination to improve infrastructure and connectivity as well as developing business events programs for each city that emphasise their strengths and unique identities and helping to connect business events professionals within these cities to the networks that will help them grow the local offering for conference and incentive groups.
The six new cities join 10 other destinations already chosen as MICE Cities by TCEB – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Khon Kaen, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Phitsanulok.
