IMPACT Arena, Exhibition and Conference Center have announced some major new projects for their site in Muang Thong Thani.
Thailand’s largest conference and exhibition complex will be investing over ฿3.5 billion (US$96 million) in a number of developments including a theme park, marina, shopping centre and hotels, reports Travel Daily Media.
“In the near future, we are going to see some of the biggest investments in mega projects in IMPACT’s history, including a ฿200 million theme park sitting along the shore of the lake,” said Paul Kanjanapas, managing director of IMPACT Exhibition Management.
The theme park will be spearheaded by the company behind Universal Studios Singapore – the Sanderson Group. The development is slated to complete by early 2018.
IMPACT hope that these new investments will encourage the development of profitable MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) tourism in the area.
“Business travellers bringing children onboard attending a conference at our venue can leave their kids at the theme park while they are in a meeting. With our one-stop entertainment complex coupled with other state-of-the art facilities and amenities nearby the exhibition centre, the family would end up staying longer and that is exactly what we are looking for,” explains Kanjanapas.
The proposed marina would also appeal to a new tourist demographic: the global yachting community.
As well as sailing, the marina complex would be home to such attractions as restaurants, shops, a cinema and a revamp of the existing Eastin Lakeside Hotel, to make it “the most luxury five-star hotel in Muang Thong Thani”.
Other projects proposed for IMPACT’s site include a new five-storey shopping mall and an extension to the IMPACT Sports Complex to include a new swimming pool and 12 badminton courts.
Scheduled to open later this year is the Ibis Bangkok IMPACT hotel, which will offer 587 rooms.
More hotels for the area may also be on the horizon.
“I also plan to develop more hotels in the venue in case the (existing) Novotel Bangkok IMPACT and Ibis are completely booked up,” commented Kanjanapas.
Featured image: IMPACT/Facebook
