The World Travel & Culture Expo (WTCE) 2026 was held from 29 to 31 October 2026 at the IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani, Thailand. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in partnership with the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA), and Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, the event brought together businesses and partners from 18 countries. The expo focused on sectors including tourism, culture, technology, sport, entertainment, and the creative industries under the theme “Smartly Link the World.”
WTCE 2026 was structured around
three main exhibition zones: TAAPE (Amusement & Attraction), featuring products and technology for amusement parks, family entertainment, gaming systems, and VR/AR applications; ASE (Audio · Stage · Entertainment), showcasing digital signage, sound, lighting, staging, and entertainment technologies for concerts and events; and TBE (Billiards & Indoor Sports), presenting equipment and technology for billiards and indoor sports. An additional Art Toys & Creative Economy area highlighted collectible toys, design, pop culture, product development, intellectual-property licensing, retail, and brand collaboration.
Concurrent to the exhibition, the 2026 World Amusement and Attractions Development Summit (WAS) took place from 29 to 30 October, with the
World Billiards Club Development Summit (WBS) held on 30 October at the same venue. At WAS, Ms. Denduen Luengcheng, TAT Executive Director of the Tourism Product Department, outlined Thailand Nextperience 2027 and five tourism product priorities: Wellness & Longevity, Festival Economy, Creative Economy, Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism, and Trusted Thailand. The Trusted Thailand initiative focuses on visitor safety, secure payments, foreign language communication, and safe transport. The summits also explored topics such as night tourism, immersive entertainment, integrated resorts, cultural tourism, and Southeast Asia’s potential for theme-park investment.
According to TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, WTCE 2026 exemplified the “Transform
Together” concept and “Partnership 360°” by linking tourism with multiple sectors to generate new business opportunities and economic value. The expo aligns with TAT’s strategic shift toward increasing the value of each journey and distributing tourism income across businesses, communities, and developing destinations, advancing Thailand’s goal of becoming a high-value and meaningful destination. The event also commemorated 51 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, expanding cooperation beyond tourism.
Key figures at the event included Mr. Jeerayu Jarukittivorakan, Secretary-General of the Tourism Council of Thailand, and Mr. Wang Zhaoyun, CEO of Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group. Their participation alongside
representatives from Chinese and international associations spanned sectors such as culture, entertainment, billiards, amusement parks, and cultural tourism, reinforcing bilateral ties and industry collaboration.
WTCE 2026 supports Thailand’s role as the Tourism and Entertainment Hub of ASEAN, complementing the Thailand Nextperience 2027 plan and its emphasis on strategic tourism products. The event demonstrated how tourism can integrate with culture, sports, technology, and creative industries to strengthen global partnerships and enrich the visitor economy across the ASEAN region.
