IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center is set to invest more than one billion baht (US$29m) worth of structure projects that will promote a tourism hub in the venue.
The organisation has been working on renovations and expansions to accommodate its growing MICE business.
“We like to be more entertaining, so we embark on something different than our ordinary business: meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. We branch out into a more tourism market,” said Paul Kanjanapas, IMPACT’s managing director.
“We are creating a new hub for tourism – a better venue for MICE visitors and their families. Usually when a business traveler makes a trip to convene aboard, they usually bring along children and their spouse, and as long as we keep them busy and excited with heart pumping activities, we can generate more economic impact, vibrancy, jobs, and profits, retain current business, and attract new business to the community as well as the country. We want our visitors to discover what make things hum here.”
The lake will showcase a theme park, Marina, and the latest project Cocoon Entertainment Center.
The four-storey entertainment building will be home to a cinema, factory outlet, and dining facilities including a three-level parking garage. Groundbreaking is expected to begin next year followed by the theme park and marina.
Opening for business in February 2017 will be a 500m baht, four-storey building The Portal, providing a connection from IMPACT Challenger.
The 9,000sqm building will be furnished with a direct pedestrian connection between the 2nd floor of the Portal and the entrance hall of the Royal Jubilee ballroom, Thailand’s largest pillar-less ballroom.
The Portal’s interior design will complement the Challenger’s futuristic architecture and all other structures including ‘Cosmo office’ and ‘Cocoon Entertainment Center’, said Thamavit Liamputdhumrong, the architect.
The 1st floor will be saturated with international cuisines, whereas the 2nd floor will house a Japanese restaurant, Tsubohachi, and Thailand, both operated under our restaurant chains along with other dining establishments.
For customers looking for a quick meal, the 3rd floor and the top floor is solely dedicated to the Portal ballroom, with 1,150sqm of versatile space.
The building comes equipped with two passenger elevators and two escalators.
In 2015, a 587-room Ibis hotel was built at IMPACT at an estimated cost of 1,000m baht, sitting alongside its 4-star MICE Novotel Bangkok IMPACT, which currently supplies 380 rooms.
Situated nearby, IMPACT Sports Club and Tennis Academy which will soon go under renovation. The new 18-storey, 20,816sqm hotel, features 574 standard guest rooms, 13 handicapped rooms, a 500-seat dining room, and 113 parking spaces on-site.
The sister hotel is more affordable, operated under Accor brands, and scheduled to open by the end of February 2017, prior to The Bangkok International Motor Show 2017.
“With the completion of the above mentioned projects, IMPACT will evolve to become a MICE city offering MICE groups with a diversified range of event offerings with exciting leisure activities,” said Loy Joon How, IMPACT’s general manager.
