On the same occasion that the Embassy has invited TCEB and Phuket Tourist Association to present about tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travels, Conventions and Exhibitions) potentials of Thailand at the National Day’s Reception at Sheraton Hotel Astana on 6 December 2023, the next day on 7 December 2023, the Embassy led teams from TCEB and Phuket Tourist Association to meet with Mr. Yessilov Assylkhan, Director of Turistik Kamkor, corporate fund administrating the guarantee system of rights of Kazakhstan's outbound tourists, and 8 tour agencies in Astana, Kazakhstan, because Kazakhstanis might have not been aware before that Thailand is the hub of international conventions and exhibitions and that Thailand can provide MICE tourism packages, including additionally corresponding facilitation for the MICE tourist groups.

 

And now that many more Kazakh tourists are travelling to Thailand (though the year has not been yet concluded, the growth of Kazakh tourists to Thailand has already reached 4.3 times more than the whole year of 2022) and that Thailand exempts visa for Kazakh passport holders until February 2024, it is opportune for Thailand to attract MICE tourist groups from Kazakhstan.

 

 

After having received information that Thailand hosts international conventions in various sectors that Kazakh businessmen are also interested, such as medical and pharmaceutical, metal, electronics, sustainable development, and that the Thai side can provide fast track for MICE tourist groups with escort from the door of the plane until the immigration checkpoint, and also themes to make visiting Thailand with MICE purposes more comprehensive with tourism and recreation dimension, the Kazakh side expressed great interest in obtaining event calendar and packages that TCEB and its relevant private sector can provide for Kazakhstanis from the Thai side. And as Kazakhstanis tend to have extended families, the Incentive group could easily become a big group comprising also members of the families of the employees.