2014 Chiang Mai Tourism Development

2014 Chiang Mai Tourism Development 

Chiang Mai, the northern capital of Thailand, has seen significant development that contributes to its potential to become the ‘MICE City’ of the North.

The province has seen new developments, the growing transportation links, more roads and highways, and more accommodationsthat helps strengthen the new positioning of Chiang Mai as creative and MICE city. The new developments in Chiang Mai will be the turn key of the province into a more modernized city, in addition to its existing strengths on cultural, historical, medical, healthcare and ecotourism. Accommodation to cater MICE visitors are from more than 33,000 hotel rooms of various types.

Last year, Chiang Mai’s concrete step to become the MICE city was strengthened with the opening of ‘Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.’ With a total area of 335 rai, is the first and largest convention and exhibition centre in the Northern region.

Following the opening of the Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Chiang Mai was promoted as “Chiang Mai’s Year of MICE” campaign, focusing on the region’s capabilities for fun, creative, and fulfilling meetings & incentives functions, conventions, and exhibitions.

New hotels opennings in 2013-2014 in Chiang Mai

Currently, there are 543 hotels totaling 27,369 rooms in Chiang Mai. Most of the new openings in Chiang Mai are independently owned or owner-operated boutique hotels.
- SalalannaChiangmai, a 16-room boutique hotel, was opened in March 2013 is a prominent property introduced by the renowned boutique hotel chain the Sala.
- Akyra Manor Chiang Mai, the new boutique hotel of Chiang Mai was introduced by the Boutique hotel operator Akaryn Hospitality Management Services (AHMS) in partnership with Singapore's Manor Design Studio. Located in Soi 9 Nimmanhaemin Road, the hotel will feature 29 suites and residences.
- Sireeampan Boutique Resort & Spa features only 11 guest suites adding to the luxury hotel collection in Chiang Mai.
- X2 Chiang Mai Villa opened July 2013, it is the 5-bedroom luxury pool villa adding to luxury collection of hotels in Chiang Mai.
- Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai, is the international hotel chain which is situated close to the famous Chiang Mai’s night bazaar. The hotel features 286 rooms with international dining options and meeting facilities, so it can cater for both leisure and business travellers.

New Attractions

- Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC)which is the first regional design resource centre, after Bangkok. The centre provides design know-how and a house of creative thinking in the country’s upper north. The opening of TCDC in 2012 is another bold move to place Chiang Mai as the Creative City of Thailand.
- Promenade Resort Mall, opened in 2013, is the first resort-style air-conditioned shopping mall in Thailand. It is combined with an open-air tropical park with terraces, music and shows, fairs and much more. The project is built on 58 rai of land and has been designed to blend in with the vibrant city lifestyle and surrounding “close-to-nature” feel of Chiang Mai.
- Maya Shopping Mall: The 80,000 sq.m.retail shopping centrelocated on the corner of HuayKaew Rd and Super Highway, is aimed to be the new icon and landmark of Chiang Mai. With the concepts of "Building as Art" and "Window of Nimman", it features six sections including Strolling Mart supermarkets and department Take Home; Cosmo Boullevardcenter for fashion, beauty, and brand-named products; Stylish Avenue including global brands of fashion goods and accessories; DigitechStreet features banking and technology products and gadget shops; Food Bazaar and international cuisine; Cinematic Arena featuring world-class SFX cinemas; and Nimman Hill the scenic spot to see city in panorama.
- The Harbour: a new community mall is on HuayKeaw Road,clothing shops, restaurants and other small retail outlets.
- The Chiang Mai Platinum Fashion Centre, situated in the Chiang Mai Business Park, is a six storey building that will be a centre for up to 2,000 small and medium sized fashion and IT product shops.  Scheduled to open in 2014, It is deemed to be the largest retail and wholesale fashion mall in northern region.

New Development of MICE &Tourism Facilities

- The ‘Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre’ opened in 2013 with a total area of 335 rai, is the first and largest convention and exhibition centre in the Northern region.  The centre has the capacity to receive 10,000 MICE visitors.The Global Association of Exhibition Industry (UFI) awarded Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre as one of nine convention and exhibition centres in Thailand with international standards.

- The Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre has three main functional sections including outdoor exhibition space with large parking space; exhibition hall with capacity to serve 476 booths and meeting rooms that can accommodate from 250 – 3,000 seats; and also the Northern Centre for the Development and Distribution of Goods for Small and Medium Enterprises.

New Infrastructure/Transportation Development 

Chiang Mai is a major tourist centre with a good transport infrastructure that includes an international airport, a rail link from Bangkok, and frequent long-distance buses from all over.
- Chiang Mai International Airport is Thailand’s 3rd biggest airport, after Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. It serves 401 domestic flights and 76 international flights per day.
- The airport has the capacity to serve 8 million passengers; receive 30,000 tons of goods by airfreight and a total of 12,377 flights per year.
- There are currently seven international airlines operate flights to Chiang Mai including Thai Air Asia from Singapore, China Eastern Airlines from Kunming, Korean Air from Seoul, Silk Air from Singapore, Air Bagan from Yangon (Myanmar), Air Asia from Malaysia and China Airlines from Taipei.
- R3A Asian Highway provides land transportation linking Thailand, Laos and China.
- Bangkok Airways, a leading local Thai airline, has just announced its plans to strengthen its coverage of Burma, and will launch new flights from Chiang Mai to Yangon, Mandalay, UdonThani and Phuket.
- Meanwhile, Chiang Mai-based Kan Air is launching direct flights to UbonRatchathani and HuaHin from August 15. It will use a Hawker Beechcraft Premier 1 private jet with six seats on those routes.