CEO Martin Sirk said this week that the venue for the association's most important event rotated around the world, which means it is only held in the Asia-Pacific region once every three years.

This year the event will take place from October 27-31 at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall in The Royal Cliff Beach Resort.

Kajit Habanananda, director of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and chairman of the ICCA Thailand Committee, said the meeting's main objectives were to exchange information between members and to promote international convention organisations.

Sirk said the ICCA has 800 member companies and organisations in almost 80 countries. Members comprise business corporations, state enterprises and private companies in the tourism industries, airlines, trade and convention promotion boards, hotels and convention venue owners.

Thailand is hosting the ICCA's Annual Meeting for the second time.

The TCEB will be the coordination centre for the 10 ICCA Thailand committees who will be participating in the annual meeting. It has been involved with the preparation meeting for Thai partners, feasibility studies of the venue and other facilities, accommodation surveys, staff involved in this project as well as infrastructure to support the event.

Thailand is expected to benefit from the event, since it is estimated there will be about Bt70 million coming into the country with average spending of Bt22,000 per person.