The World Travel & Culture Expo (WTCE) 2026 was held from 29 to 31 October at the IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani, Thailand. Organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports with partners including the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA), and Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, the event connected businesses and partners from 18 countries across tourism, culture, technology, sport, entertainment, and creative sectors.
The official opening ceremony on 29 October was presided over by Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of TAT. She was joined
by Mr. Jeerayu Jarukittivorakan, Secretary-General of TCT, Mr. Wang Zhaoyun, CEO of Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, and representatives from Chinese and international associations involved in culture, entertainment, billiards, amusement parks, and cultural tourism.
The exhibition featured three main zones: TAAPE – Amusement & Attraction, showcasing amusement and water parks, family entertainment centres, rides, gaming and VR/AR technologies; ASE – Audio • Stage • Entertainment, displaying LED screens, digital signage, lighting, sound, and stage equipment; and TBE – Billiards & Indoor Sports, presenting products and technologies related to pool, billiards, snooker, and indoor sports. Additionally, an Art Toys & Creative
Economy area focused on collectible toys, design, characters, pop culture, product development, and intellectual property licensing.
Industry discussions were held through two summits. The World Amusement and Attractions Development Summit (WAS) ran from 29–30 October, and the World Billiards Club Development Summit (WBS) took place on 30 October. Topics at WAS included night tourism, immersive entertainment, water-park development, integrated resorts, family entertainment centres, cultural tourism, and Southeast Asia’s potential for theme-park investment. WBS explored sustainable development of cue-sports ecosystems, growth in emerging markets including India, and the expansion of Thailand’s billiards industry as a global business.
During WAS, Ms. Denduen
Luengcheng, TAT Executive Director of the Tourism Product Department, presented Thailand Nextperience 2027 and outlined TAT’s five tourism product priorities: Wellness & Longevity, Festival Economy, Creative Economy, Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism, and Trusted Thailand. Trusted Thailand was highlighted as essential for visitor confidence, emphasizing safety, secure payments, foreign-language communication, and accessible transport.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool described WTCE 2026 as an embodiment of TAT’s Partnership 360° strategy, which connects tourism with culture, sport, technology, and creative industries to create new business opportunities and increase economic value. She emphasized the Value over Volume approach aimed at enhancing the value of each journey
and distributing tourism income to businesses, communities, and developing destinations. The event aligned with Thailand’s ambition to become the Tourism and Entertainment Hub of ASEAN and to develop as a High-Value and Meaningful Destination.
WTCE 2026 also commemorated 51 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, extending cooperation beyond travel and tourism into wider sectors. The event fostered bilateral collaboration and cross-industry partnerships, strengthening ties between Thailand, China, and other international participants.
The expo reinforced Thailand’s strategic shift from destination-led promotion to experience and value creation in tourism. It emphasized Trusted Thailand to build visitor confidence through comprehensive safety
and accessibility measures. The combination of exhibitions, business matching, and industry summits created a platform for advancing tourism, cultural, technological, sport, entertainment, and creative industries in the ASEAN region and beyond.
