Phuket: A Model MICE City

When considering MICE venues in Phuket, organisers should look beyond the capacity of individual meeting rooms and consider the readiness of the destination as a whole. This encompasses the airport, flight connectivity, accommodation, local transport, professional personnel, cuisine and activities that reflect the identity of the area.

Phuket International Airport serves both domestic and international routes, with direct flights from several major cities across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. This connectivity enables participants to reach the destination more conveniently, with many journeys no longer requiring a transfer in Bangkok.

Phuket International Airport is also undergoing further development to increase its annual passenger capacity to 18 million by 2029. This reflects the destination’s preparations for continued growth in international travel and the hosting of major international events.

Phuket’s readiness extends beyond infrastructure. The destination has experienced professionals accustomed to welcoming travellers from a wide range of countries, with expertise spanning event management, hospitality, transport, technical services, cuisine, marine activities and wellness. Phuket also benefits from cooperation among government agencies, private sector organisations, educational institutions and local communities.

In 2026, Phuket was selected as the host city for three major global events: the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference, the InterPride General Meeting & World Conference and the Global Wellness Summit. Each event is closely aligned with Phuket’s strengths in sustainable tourism, diversity and wellness.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2026 brings together experts from more than 55 countries to exchange knowledge and examine issues related to urban management, tourism and communities within a real destination setting.

The InterPride General Meeting & World Conference 2026 marks the first time that InterPride’s major international conference is being held in Asia. It reflects Phuket’s position as an international city that welcomes people of different languages, cultures and identities.

The Global Wellness Summit 2026 further highlights Phuket’s strengths in wellness, cuisine, nature and quality of life. These assets can be integrated naturally into both the content of an event and the experiences offered to participants.

Phuket’s selection as host for these events demonstrates that it is more than a tourism destination. The city can draw upon its local identity and distinctive strengths to support the objectives of international MICE events in a meaningful and practical way.

Phuket offers convention centres, meeting facilities within educational institutions, exhibition halls and waterfront spaces. Together, these venues allow the destination to accommodate a broad range of MICE formats, from academic conferences and corporate events to trade exhibitions and product launches.

The Andaman Pannarai Convention Centre at Phuket Rajabhat University can accommodate approximately 3,000 participants. It provides breakout rooms, audiovisual systems, internet connectivity and parking facilities for large events. The centre is equipped to host academic conferences, corporate events and international gatherings, and is widely used by both public and private sector organisations in the province.

The Angsana Convention and Exhibition Space at Laguna Phuket is one of the major large scale event venues in Southern Thailand. Located within Laguna Phuket’s internationally recognised hotel and resort complex, it is well suited to conferences, exhibitions and major events.

Chao Fah Conference Hall at Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, is suitable for academic conferences, association meetings, workshops and international exchange activities that seek to connect with local academics, students and specialists.

Phuket also offers a broad range of hotels that meet recognised standards and can accommodate both premium meetings and events of medium scale. Organisers may also consider Phuket Old Town, museums, waterfront locations and suitable public spaces for receptions, networking activities or smaller exhibitions, subject to the necessary permissions, safety requirements and careful consideration of potential impacts on local communities.

The Phuket Town area is well suited to events that seek to connect meetings with Sino Portuguese architecture, museums, local cuisine and creative businesses. Participants can discover the story of the city through walking activities, workshops and food trails without the need for lengthy transfers.

The eastern coast and marina areas are suitable for exhibitions, product launches and activities connected to the sea. The western coast, meanwhile, is particularly well suited to corporate meetings, incentive travel and wellness programmes.

The northern part of the island benefits from its proximity to the airport and offers opportunities to connect event programmes with nature, mangrove forests, agricultural communities and local ways of life. It is suitable for study visits, social impact activities and programmes that seek to present a different side of Phuket beyond its principal tourism areas.

Phuket has been designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015, reflecting a culinary heritage shaped by the convergence of local, Chinese, Peranakan and Malay cultures.

The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026 includes selected restaurants in Phuket across several categories, ranging from local cuisine to fine dining. This enables organisers to design a wide variety of culinary experiences, including food tasting walks, Peranakan banquets, cooking workshops and menus featuring ingredients sourced from farmers and fishers within the province.

Cuisine is therefore not simply part of an event’s catering programme. It is also a means of telling the city’s story and directing income towards local businesses.

Phuket has been recognised as a World Festival and Event City, while the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and the Phuket Peranakan Festival have received awards from the International Festivals & Events Association.

These honours reflect the city’s ability to stage large events, support participants, collaborate with local communities and transform local identity into experiences that attract international attention.

Phuket is also home to communities whose knowledge and ways of life can be developed into meaningful activities for event participants. These include Phuket Old Town, Ban Bang Rong and communities in the northern part of the island.

Activities may explore local cuisine, fishing, mangrove ecosystems, herbs, handicrafts and traditional ways of life. They should, however, be designed in collaboration with local residents from the outset. This ensures that each activity is appropriate for the number of participants, respects the capacity and limitations of the community, and generates income in a fair and equitable manner.

When communities participate as co-designers and storytellers, the resulting experience carries far greater meaning than a brief visit to the area.

With venues that meet recognised standards, accommodation across a range of categories, convenient access through Phuket International Airport and professional services delivered by experienced personnel, Phuket is well equipped to host international MICE events.

Organisers can further create memorable experiences for participants through marine activities, culture, cuisine and distinctive leisure offerings.

The global events selected to take place in Phuket demonstrate that the destination can accommodate events with different themes and participant profiles, while drawing upon local strengths to support the objectives of each event.

When every sector works towards a shared direction, Phuket becomes more than a destination that people aspire to visit. It becomes a host city ready to welcome international events and use the business events industry as a driving force for the economy, local communities and the future of the destination.