Infrastructure Development
As noted, there is a lack of purpose-built convention venues in major convention
cities such as Chiang Mai and Phuket. Chiang Mai (the north) is well
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Meeting and Convention Industry in Thailand 203
known for the beauty of its nature and attractive culture, while Phuket (the
south) is world famous for its beautiful beaches. These two cities are the
major tourism cities of Thailand, and the government is attempting to promote
and market them as the leading convention centers in the northern and
the southern regions. However, the lack of sophisticated convention venues
may impact those two cities in various areas, including the opportunities
to host large international events, economic contributions to local/regional
areas, and growth/expansion of the local tourism industry.
As mentioned, most international conventions in Chiang Mai and Phuket
were held in local hotels with limited capacity. Developing convention
venues in those two cities (either from government budget or as private
property) would increase the competitiveness of Thailand’s MICE industry
and generate benefits to the region. For private investment, incentives for
investors should be encouraged. Moreover, having a new convention center
in provinces would increase the options for the clients to consider or select
their preferred convention venues in places besides Bangkok. According to
the information from Table 4, if Chiang Mai and Phuket had new convention
venues that could accommodate more than 1000 participants, they could
attract more convention business to these regions, which would contribute
to the local economy and the growth of the tourism industry.
With regard to public transportation, although the development of public
transportation is a large project and requires a lot of investment, the Thai
government needs to invest in this important infrastructure. Public transportation
projects, such as bus, sky train, and subway systems, should be primary
concerns and need serious attention from the government. This investment
is needed to boost the country’s economy, encourage foreign investment,
and to benefit the social welfare of local residents. Efficient and adequate
transportation would not only strengthen Thailand’s economy and investment
in the long term, but would also support the expansion of the tourism
and MICE industries.