Mr. Wang Zhaoyun, chairman of Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group and the representative of the Asia Pacific Vending Association, said, "Thailand is considered the hub of ASEAN where the retail industry has continued to grow, driven by the tourism sector that has spurred the development and expansion of retail businesses. This is evident in the investments made in department stores, shopping centers and small to medium-sized community malls across Thailand's major tourist cities. According to a 2020 survey, there were as many as 2,000 of such establishments. As tourism bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers feel more confident about further business expansion.
The growth of retail business in Thailand and other ASEAN countries due to the increasing number of department stores, shopping centers and related retail businesses leads to an increase in demand for vending machines and automatic facilities. In response to this trend, the Asia Pacific Vending Association, Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group and Compass Exhibition will jointly organize the ASEAN (Bangkok) Vending Machine & Self-Service Facilities Expo 2023 or VEND ASEAN 2023 to showcase products, innovations and technologies related to vending machines. The event is scheduled from 24 to 26 October 2023 at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani.
Besides accommodating the expanding Thai retail market, the event also aims at promoting the growth of the ASEAN retail industry collectively. Buyers from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam are invited to attend the event to explore products and conduct business discussions with more than 200 vending brands from 20 countries such as Fuji Electric, ICT/FMT, Donggu Electronics, Easy Touch & Jetinno from China, Tattoo from Australia, Elyctis from France, Multipas from Armenia and Silkron from Malaysia, amounting to 750 booths in total. 48% of products displayed at the event will be coin-operated vending machines, 20% automatic facilities and 18% self-service facilities.
Ms. Sasinipa Petrayon, assistant general manager and project manager at Compass Exhibition, added, "As consumers in the digital age require the speed of online trading and payment, the retail industry has adapted to changing consumer behavior. Nowadays, vending machines are installed at department stores, shopping centers and other retail establishments, as well as schools, factories, and office buildings to offer a convenient and easy way for tourists, customers, office workers and students to purchase goods such as snacks, mobile phone accessories, face masks, etc., or even get their laundry done. Vending machines can be placed anywhere, and they are available 24 hours, while payment can be done using coins or scanning the QR code, which is more convenient and popular among customers."
VEND ASEAN 2023 is a collaboration between retail partners and international retail entrepreneurs, with support from the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). It is the one and only most comprehensive vending show in ASEAN featuring innovative products, services, and the latest vending technologies. Besides being a one-stop business platform tailored for the retail sector, the event will also feature international academic seminars on various topics, giving participants the opportunity to exchange knowledge about vending machines and automatic facilities that play a significant role in the retail landscape both in the present and future. The seminars will be led by gurus from Italy, Germany, Poland, the United States, Australia, Japan and more over a span of three days.
Although VEND ASEAN is returning to physical event for the first time in three years since the COVID-19 outbreak, the organizers are confident that it will be a successful event attracting more than 10,000 retail investors from the ASEAN countries to explore all the event has to offer and discuss business opportunities. For more information or to pre-register for the event, please visit www.vendasean.com.
Source: IMPACT Exhibition Management
