BANGKOK, Thailand – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, together with public- and private-sector partners, concluded the World Travel & Culture Expo (WTCE) 2026, held from 29–31 October at IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani.
The event connected Thai, Chinese, and international businesses and partners from 18 countries through exhibitions, business matching, and industry exchange across tourism, culture, technology, sport, entertainment, and the creative industries, supporting Thailand’s position as the Tourism and Entertainment Hub of ASEAN.
Organised in cooperation with the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA) and Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, WTCE 2026 officially opened on 29 October, with the ceremony presided over by Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor. Joining her were Mr. Jeerayu Jarukittivorakan, TCT Secretary-General; Mr. Wang Zhaoyun, CEO of Grandeur Exhibition Group; and representatives of Chinese and international associations spanning culture, entertainment, billiards, amusement parks and cultural tourism.
Ms. Thapanee said, “WTCE 2026 demonstrates what Transform Together means in practice. Through Partnership 360°, TAT is connecting tourism with culture, sport, technology and the creative industries to create distinctive experiences, new business opportunities and wider economic value. Our Value over Volume direction is focused on increasing the value of every journey, distributing tourism income to businesses, communities and emerging destinations, and moving Thailand towards a High-Value and Meaningful Destination.”
Held under the theme “Smartly Link the World”, WTCE 2026 brought together buyers, sellers, investors, business owners, project developers and service providers to explore partnerships, exchange technology and expertise, and develop products and services for the visitor economy. The event also marked 51 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, extending bilateral connections from travel and tourism into wider industry cooperation.
The exhibition comprised three principal zones. TAAPE – Amusement & Attraction showcased products and technologies for amusement and water parks, family entertainment centres, rides, gaming systems and VR/AR applications. ASE – Audio • Stage • Entertainment featured LED displays, digital signage, lighting, sound, staging and entertainment technologies for concerts, events, meetings and exhibitions. TBE – Billiards & Indoor Sports presented products, equipment and technologies for pool, billiards, snooker and indoor sports. An Art Toys & Creative Economy area further connected collectable toys, design, characters and pop culture with product development, intellectual-property licensing, retail and brand collaboration.
Industry exchange continued at the same venue through the 2026 World Amusement and Attractions Development Summit (WAS) – Bangkok on 29–30 October and the World Billiards Club Development Summit (WBS) – Bangkok on 30 October.
On the first day of WAS, Ms. Denduen Luengcheng, TAT Executive Director of the Tourism Product Department, presented “Future of Tourism & Trusted Thailand”, setting out Thailand Nextperience 2027 and TAT’s five tourism product priorities: Wellness & Longevity, Festival Economy, Creative Economy, Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism, and Trusted Thailand. The session placed particular emphasis on Trusted Thailand as a foundation for visitor confidence, covering general safety, secure payment systems, foreign-language communication, and safe transport and accessibility. The presentation also reinforced TAT’s shift from destination-led promotion towards experience and value creation, with tourism products designed to generate greater benefits for travellers, businesses, communities and emerging destinations.
Across the wider programme, WAS sessions examined night tourism and destination attractions, immersive entertainment, water-park development, integrated resorts, family entertainment centres, cultural tourism and Southeast Asia’s potential for global theme-park and FEC investment. WBS sessions explored sustainable cue-sports ecosystems in emerging markets, growth opportunities in India and the development of Thailand’s billiards industry from sport into global business. (TAT)
