Thailand's MICE sector surged 42% in 2024, nearing pre-pandemic highs, with 1.16 million travellers and record-breaking international events slated for 2025. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/tawanlubfah
Thailand has recorded a 42% rise in overseas MICE travellers in 2024, putting visitor numbers close to 1.2 million, a record high that was achieved in 2019, pre-pandemic.
Figures issued by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), show overseas MICE travellers in the country’s 2024 fiscal year (October 2023-September 2024) totalled 1.16 million travellers, compared to 810,000 in 2023. The top ten market sources for MICE visitors are China, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, the US and Japan. In the European and UK markets, the top five are Germany, the UK, Russia, France and Italy.
Sector-wise, conventions recorded the biggest growth in 2024, with close to a 200% increase of delegates compared to 2023, followed by incentive travel, exhibitions and meetings.
TCEB said that looking forward to 2025, the country shows signs of more vibrancy as it will be hosting a series of large-scale international events, with delegate numbers ranging from 5,000 people to 10,000 people per event. Money 20/20 Asia 2025, a fintech event, will take place in April in Bangkok with an anticipated 5,000 attending delegates representing start-ups, financial bodies and tech enterprises. Also taking place in April, the International Diabetes Federation’s World Diabetes Congress 2025 expects to attract 10,000 attendees; it will also be the first time that the event is taking place in southeast Asia.
Around 10,000 delegates will also attend Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress in May in Bangkok, while THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2025, a trade show dedicated to food products and beverages, innovation and technology, is also taking place that month and expected to attract 85,000 participants.
Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, president of TCEB said: “With the record performance in 2024, TCEB would like to thank overseas MICE travellers for their trust and confidence in Thailand. TCEB and Thai MICE entrepreneurs will always strive to deliver high value to clients because we are well-aware that the economic challenges are driving the needs for more return on investment and return on experience. In this connection, we aim to achieve higher, [with] 1.4 million overseas travellers in 2025 fiscal year.”