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Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is extending its support to the hosting of the 2019 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Congress, from 10 to 13 August 2019, at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.

The event is expected to be attended by 7,500 international delegates who are expected to generate revenue of up to 640 million Baht (US$20.7 million) during the four-day event.

TCEB President Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said the 2019 IDA Annual Congress is the largest ever Chinese convention to be organised in Thailand.

“TCEB is delighted to welcome the 2019 IDA Annual Congress to Thailand. We won this event in 2017, following an inspection trip to Thailand by IDA Committee. We then attended the 2018 event in Yunnan last year to extend an invitation to their delegates to attend the 2019 edition in Thailand.

“This highlights the importance of the Chinese market to TCEB and Thailand and helps raise the profile of Thailand as a conference destination.  Thailand has a record profile of hosting mega-size convention every year and the 2019 IDA Annual Congress will be a trademark of such scale event for the Kingdom, as well as reiterates the country’s readiness and ability to host large and important international MICE events,” he added.

TCEB’s policy of targeting and supporting events has helped make Thailand one of Asia’s top MICE destinations. TCEB helps facilitates the smooth and successful organization of business events by providing support schemes, introducing and connecting with local suppliers, in addition to providing fast track MICE immigration service to VIP delegates.

The IDA Annual Meeting is held in conjunction with the Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress (WCLIC) biennially. All of the worldwide Chinese insurance and financial professionals and top management join in this annual meeting, which has become the signature event of the industry. It has firmly enabled the worldwide Chinese financial and issuance sector to compete with the usually-focus-on-English industry on the international stage. After many years of operation, management, and accumulation, IDA is poised to exert its considerable influence in the global insurance field.

Mr. Kai Tu, Chairman of the 2019 IDA Annual Meeting, stated: “After an extensive search, we are pleased to select Bangkok as the location for our annual IDA conference, especially as we mark the 20th anniversary since IDA commenced in 1998. In fact, this is the second time that the IDA conference will be taking place in Thailand, and we are grateful for TCEB’s continued support and collaboration in helping us to bring the conference to the lovely city of Bangkok.”

“Nearly 8,000 delegates and 300 senior executives from 17 countries, in addition to over 200 leading financial services and insurance institutions will attend our annual meeting, which aims to facilitate further learning and discussions about our industry. We hope the four-day intensive meetings, against the backdrop of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage, local attractions and gracious hospitality, will make this a memorable experience for all delegates,” he continued.

China currently ranks as the top short haul MICE market to Thailand for the fiscal years of 2015 to 2018. During 2018 Thailand welcomed a total of 215,098 MICE delegates from China, representing a 95.57% increase over 2015 (at 109,987).

Of the total MICE travellers from China, the convention-specific delegates to Thailand rank in the top three. Since 2015, the number of convention delegates from China has increased from 16,216 to 53,789 delegates in 2018, representing a 231% growth in just a three-year period.

As well as the 2019 IDA Annual Congress, conventions from China that TCEB has supported included: the New Normalization’ Assisting the New Pattern of Asia Pacific Economic Development-2015 China International Economic and Trade Regionalization Development Summit, from 19-25 January 2015 for 200 delegates; the 3rd  Annual World Congress of Smart Materials (WCSM2017), from 16-18 October 2017 for 600 delegates; and the 14th  World Congress of Chinese Medicine (WCCM 2017), from 21-22 March 2017 for 800 delegates.