Bangkok: Thailand has emerged as a premier destination for international meetings, with Bangkok breaking into the top 10 cities globally for hosting international conferences.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sasikarn Wattanachan, Deputy Government Spokesperson, announced the findings from the latest GlobeWatch Business Analytics-Country and City Rankings report for 2024 by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) at IMEX Frankfurt 2025 in Germany. The report, which analyzed data from over 11,000 conferences held worldwide in 2024, highlighted that Asia is the second most popular region for international conferences, following Europe. Thailand hosted 158 international conferences in 2024, an increase from 143 in 2023, elevating its global rank from 26th to 25th and securing the top position in the ASEAN region.
On a city level, Bangkok’s performance was particularly impressive, hosting 115 international meetings and climbing to 7th place globally as a meeting destination city, up from 15th place in 2023. Bangkok also secured the 3rd spot in the Asia-Pacific region and 2nd in the ASEAN region. The city’s recognition was further affirmed by Cvent in its 2025 Top Meeting Destinations list, placing it 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region, just after Singapore. These rankings are based on planners and organizers’ sourcing and request for proposals (RFPs) activities, with events from cities worldwide totaling over USD18 billion.
Additionally, 2024 marked a significant milestone for Thailand, with 13 cities being ranked in the ICCA report for the first time. Beyond Bangkok, cities like Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket were recognized for hosting multiple conferences, contributing to the national tally.
Thailand’s MICE industry attracted 25,350,288 domestic and international travelers in 2024, generating 148,341 million baht in revenue and contributing over 309,000 million baht to the national income, which is 1.67% of Thailand’s GDP. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is propelling forward with five strategic plans, emphasizing digital technology and local identities to enhance the Thai MICE industry’s capabilities. The 3S strategy – Stay Longer, Spend More, See You Again – aims to boost revenue and penetrate the BRICS market. By 2025, the goal is to attract 34 million MICE travelers, generate 200 billion baht in revenue, and establish Thailand as Asia’s leading MICE destination.
Ms. Sasikarn stated, “The government is ready to support the MICE industry in all dimensions, focusing on developing the potential of secondary cities to achieve sustainable growth in services, infrastructure, and international conference organization capabilities, ensuring Thailand remains a regional leader and a world-class MICE hub.”