Push for Pattaya to lure events

Push for Pattaya to lure events

Pattaya has a growing number of TMVS-certified venues. PATIPAT JANTHONG
Pattaya has a growing number of TMVS-certified venues. PATIPAT JANTHONG

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is pushing Pattaya as a host for business events once the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) gets off the ground.

The TCEB is working with major hotels, exhibition centres and a theme park in Pattaya to enhance business facilities and venue standards under the guidance of Thailand Mice Venue Standards (TMVS), said Orachorn Wongpan-Ngam, director of the Mice capabilities department.

Pattaya in Chon Buri province is a popular tourist destination, offering hotels, shopping malls and large-scale venues for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, aka Mice.

The city has formulated strategies to become a Mice City to cope with growing tourism, Mrs Orachorn said, while business events should increase there as the EEC develops.

She said TMVS was developed as a strategy to promote and leverage the service and quality of Mice venues in Thailand.

In the East, Pattaya is considered the city with the most TMVS-certified entrepreneurs, totalling 26 venues that include 25 convention rooms and an exhibition venue.

Among the TMVS-certified venues are Cape Dara Resort Pattaya, Nongnooch Garden & Resort Pattaya and Royal Cliff Hotels.

Pongpol Mekavarakul, general manager of Cape Dara Resort Pattaya, said having TMVS certification will ensure that meeting facilities adhere to international standards for holding events.

The certification will boost confidence in Thai Mice entrepreneurs among Thai and foreign business groups, Mr Pongpol said. The hotel provides a full scale of rooms that can accommodate 10 to 700 people, he said.

After receiving TMVS certification, Cape Dara noticed an increase in the number of customers who are foreigners and business travellers, as well as representatives of tourism bureaus from different countries.

For example, a flagship event was held by Qatar Airways on the debut of its flights to U-tapao airport.

Kampon Tansacha, president of Nongnooch Garden & Resort Pattaya, said the Nongnooch Tradition Hall is another convention facility in Pattaya with TMVS certification in the meeting room category.

Nong Nooch has applied for further certifications this year for exhibition venues, meeting rooms and special events venues.

Malisa Lutzi, assistant sales manager at Royal Cliff Hotels and Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall, said certification will boost business events and bolster development in surrounding districts of the Eastern Seaboard.

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