The Growing Importance of Sustainability in the Mice Sector
The Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector encompasses a wide range of business activities centered around event venues and the entire supply chain. This includes catering companies, organizers, and transport providers. According to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), this sector has a significant environmental and social impact and is growing at an annual rate. As awareness of sustainability increases, MICE operators and customers are now more focused on aligning their events with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Public organizations and private stakeholders are leveraging the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework to promote Thailand as a preferred sustainable destination for meetings and events.
Supply Chain Development and Sustainability Efforts
Pantakamol Amatayakul, standards and sustainability chairperson at the Thai Exhibition Association (TEA), highlights that while the MICE sector is often seen as resource-intensive—due to its reliance on transport, hotels, venues, food, and booth construction—operators are becoming increasingly conscious of these challenges.
“If we do not adapt to sustainable practices, we will lose business opportunities as customers will choose other well-prepared operators instead,” said Ms. Pantakamol.
Meeting and exhibition suppliers are being influenced by customer demand, including companies in both Thailand and overseas that have specific key performance indicators for their operations. Customers are now looking for events and venues that measure carbon footprint, manage waste effectively, use clean energy, and offer local products.
Integrating ESG standards into all forms of MICE procedures and event formats is one of the five core strategies of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) 2026 plan. To support this, the bureau introduced the Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standard (TSEMS), where operators can apply for certification by completing checklists.
Under the environmental pillar, reducing the carbon footprint applies to the supply chain, such as hiring certified event organizers, using recycled materials for booths, and avoiding single-use plastics. TCEB has updated its terms of reference for event bidders, requiring them to plan carbon-neutral events. Organizers must calculate the carbon footprint using the Zero Carbon application developed by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization.
Organizers are encouraged to offset emissions by purchasing carbon credits in the market, with TCEB offering assistance to connect with available projects. The bureau also collaborates with related organizations to increase the number of new projects to meet demand.
Supawan Teerarat, president of TCEB, stated that the bureau aims to reduce 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide across all events this year. In 2025 and 2024, the sector cut 2,445 tonnes and 780 tonnes of carbon dioxide, respectively. By 2030, the industry targets a reduction of 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, aiming for a net-zero future.
Under the social pillar, operators must consider creating a positive social impact, such as hiring local staff or incorporating local products within the event. Transparency and ethics in business management are also emphasized under the governance pillar.
Challenges and Opportunities
Ms. Pantakamol noted that a major challenge for the industry is the lack of understanding among small and medium-sized operators regarding sustainability. Large organizations typically have sufficient resources and can obtain certifications like TSEMS or more advanced standards under ISO20121 or GSTC.
TCEB has been increasing budgets to connect with and educate small operators annually, especially in upcountry or second-tier cities. The bureau has formed partnerships with private operator representatives such as the TEA and the Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (Tica).
Tica’s president, Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, mentioned that while small and medium-sized operators often lack a sufficient budget for the transition, they can start with small details such as reducing single-use plastics and food waste or incorporating local offerings.
“Thailand already has an advantage in terms of sustainability, as it is a top tourism destination filled with natural resources and local communities to conserve,” said Ms. Prachoom. “Customers not only want meetings and business matching, but also look for local experiences or some way to give back to society through their work.”
For example, a hotel can provide coffee breaks by hiring local vendors to serve local dishes and snacks. On days off, community tourism can be added to the itinerary, which most foreign tourists prefer.
To succeed, she recommended operators ensure their employees have a passion for their work and are properly trained. Once their business becomes more mature, operators can start looking into larger investments, particularly clean energy systems, which require green loans from financial institutions.
The Role of Financial Institutions
Financial institutions are aware of the demand for green loans, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to the Bank of Thailand. Under the central bank’s “Financing the Transition” scheme, it partnered with eight commercial banks to launch financial products that match Thailand’s context, particularly helping small operators transform their operations to be more green.
At the end of last year, the loan value under this scheme reached 163 billion baht, exceeding its target of 100 billion. Chananun Supadulya, director of the Financial Institutions Strategy Department at the central bank, highlighted that a key lesson from this scheme is that SMEs are often unaware of environmental issues. However, commercial banks cannot drive this transition alone without support from other organizations, she said.
The program is expanding towards more solutions, selecting sectors that face high pressure in the green transition. In addition to loans, the scheme offers incentives such as trade show promotions for hotels participating in the green journey with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as well as training supported by the Department of Climate Change and Environment as part of the application for Green Hotel Plus certification.
