He said revenue growth this year would not be able to keep pace with the 100-per-cent growth rates seen a few years ago. "Both state agencies and private firms have been cautious over their spending, given the current economic slow-down", he said.

Despite lower-than-expected revenues last year, Paul is satisfied with the company's performance. Considered Asia's largest exhibition and convention centre, Impact serves a wide range of groups, from children to the elderly.

Currently, Impact, located near Chaeng Wattana Road in Muang Thong Thani, provides a total indoor exhibition space of 140,000 square metres.

Facing tougher conditions for doing business this year, Paul said the company has focused more on providing other services to its event organising partners rather than only renting space for exhibitions.

"We've trained our employees to understand what the customers' needs are, so that the company and its partners can be in a win-win situation," he said.

Of the total number of exhibitions and meetings held in Impact last year, about 70 per cent were consumer and public events, while the rest were trade shows. Paul said the centre was now organising an average of two or three events per week.

He said Smart & Happy 50 Up, one of its successful events held last year, would be repeated this June 28 to July 1.

With a high demand for health and anti-ageing products, the event responds to customers' needs, he said. One study shows that while the world population is expected to grow 1 per cent per annum, the number of elderly is expected to increase 6 per cent.

Other recent research conducted by Chulalongkorn University shows the number of Thais in the next 10 years will reach 90 million, about one-third of whom will be aged 50 and above.

Last year, the event featuring exhibitions by 130 companies with 220 booths and saw 48,000 visitors with a cash circulation of not less than Bt120 million.

With support from four state agencies, Paul said there would be more than 400 booths from both the government and private sectors and that the event would be spread out over 10,000 square metres. Participants include hospitals, resorts, ministries and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

"We expect the event will attract about 80,000 visitors, almost double from last year," he said.

Highlights of the event will be a contest to judge the elderly person with the best teeth, a singing contest for the elderly and a fair where the older people can search for volunteer positions.

Paul said another popular area should be the Internet zone, where the elderly can learn how to use computers and access the Internet.

For large events and meetings, he said Impact had been in talks with several international organisers to bring such events to the centre. "Next year, at least two events - Mechanica and a Rotary Lions Club meeting - are scheduled to be held at Impact," he said.

To persuade more visitors to attend events at the centre, Paul said he was negotiating with a rental-car agency to provide 15 20-seat shuttle buses between Impact and Mor Chit Skytrain Station. The shuttle service is expected to start this month, providing several round trips daily between 11am and 10pm for Bt30 each way.

Sasithorn Ongdee

The Nation