Phuket's first exhibition and conference centre has been launched with the inaugural event scheduled to be 'Asia's favourite boat show'.
The Royal Phuket Marina Exhibition and Conference Centre (RPM Convention Centre) will open in December in time to host the annual Phuket International Marine Expo.
At 2,500 squaremetres, the venue is three times the size of other exhibition facilities on the island and developers hope it will pave the way for a new era of large-scale conferences and expos, with one or two high-profile events held at the RPM Convention Centre every month.
The initiative is a joint venture between Royal Phuket Marina and Informa, said to be the largest publicly-owned organiser of conferences in the world, staging more than 10,000 events annually.
'We are delighted to extend our global business commitment and presence in Phuket,' said Informa Yacht Group chief executive Will Morris.
'As one of the world's premier tourist destinations, this island paradise has the potential to become a leading international venue for conventions and expos.'