The World Travel & Culture Expo 2026 (WTCE 2026) was held from 29 to 31 October 2026 at the IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani, Thailand. The event connected Thai, Chinese, and international businesses and partners from 18 countries and was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association, and Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group.
Event Themes, Exhibition Zones and Industry Summits
WTCE 2026 was held under the theme ‘Smartly Link the World’ and comprised three principal exhibition zones: TAAPE – Amusement & Attraction, ASE – Audio • Stage • Entertainment, and TBE
– Billiards & Indoor Sports, with an additional Art Toys & Creative Economy area linking collectibles, pop culture, product development, and branding. Industry events included the 2026 World Amusement and Attractions Development Summit (WAS) from 29 to 30 October, and the World Billiards Club Development Summit (WBS) on 30 October.
Strategic Directions and Official Statements
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, presided over the opening ceremony and stated: “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.” The event supports Thailand’s strategy to be the Tourism and Entertainment Hub of ASEAN.
International Cooperation and Bilateral Milestones
WTCE 2026 celebrated 51 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, expanding cooperation beyond travel and tourism into culture, sport, technology and creative industries. Attending leaders included Mr. Jeerayu Jarukittivorakan, Secretary-General of the Tourism Council of Thailand, and Mr. Wang Zhaoyun, CEO of Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group.
Tourism Product Priorities and Industry Focus
During WAS, Ms.
Denduen Luengcheng, Executive Director of Tourism Product Department at TAT, presented Thailand Nextperience 2027 with five tourism product priorities: Wellness & Longevity, Festival Economy, Creative Economy, Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism, and Trusted Thailand. Trusted Thailand focuses on visitor confidence through safety, secure payment, foreign-language communication, and transport accessibility. Summit discussions included night tourism, immersive entertainment, water park and integrated resort development, cultural tourism, Southeast Asia’s theme-park and family entertainment centre investment potential, and billiards industry development within sport-to-business ecosystems in emerging markets.
