SINGAPORE - Thailand’s recent political unrest has had a short-term impact on the exhibition business in nearby Singapore, according to Singaporean industry association SACEOS.
Speaking to EW at the 77th UFI Congress in Singapore, the president of event host and organiser SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers), Edward Liu, confirmed the city state has seen business spill over from Bangkok.
“Bangkok had its challenges last year and to some extent, the industry has been affected. Some organisers, including myself, have pulled out of Bangkok with some of our events, so in a sense; their loss has been the gain of Singapore,” he said.
“I brought my event back from Bangkok to Singapore. So yes, there has been an increase in the number of events being staged in Singapore due to the situation in Bangkok.”
But this is not a zero-sum game, Liu emphasised.
“We are all from the same industry, and we all want the industry to grow. Therefore we can only wish them well, because we continue to be engaged in Thailand,” he said.
Revenue from MICE activities comprises 13 per cent of Thailand’s total income from travel. Despite the recent turbulence, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) believes the number of MICE visitors to its shores will remain stable this year.
Liu’s comments were echoed by outgoing UFI president Manfred Wutzlhofer, [pictured with Liu], who reaffirmed the international exhibition industry is successful if it serves its growing markets.
“In the exhibition industry, if we have a negative context, like a political or financial crisis, such as terrorism, or natural disaster, then this temporarily impacts and reduces our business,” he told EW.
“But it’s not for the long term. Thailand is in a situation where business will be reduced for one or two years, but when the situation is in recovery then the market is going to go up, and so will the events.”
Thailand has been busy mounting a strong marketing campaign at this year’s UFI Congress, and will be announcing further initiatives before the end of the year.
