What You Need to Know About Arival Bangkok 2019

In two short years, Arival has become the go-to event for tours, activities, and attractions. After initially kicking off in Las Vegas, they’re already hosting internationally — first in Berlin, and now Bangkok. The in-destination community is rapidly growing, much like the sector itself, and we’re so excited about what this means for creators and sellers everywhere.

As an operator in the APAC region, Arival Bangkok is your chance to gain insight into the industry, learn ways to grow your tour and activity business, and make connections with others who face the same challenges. From June 24-26th, there will be non-stop workshops, demo labs, and networking opportunities at the Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel.

If you haven’t registered yet, it’s not too late, but the sooner, the better. That way, you can start planning how to make the most of the three-day event — like what sessions to attend — as well as book nearby accommodation. Luckily, we’ve been to every conference so far, and will give you an idea of what to expect from Arival Bangkok 2019.

Meeting Arival Bangkok 2019 Attendees

In preparation for Arival Bangkok, it’s best to jot down who you want to chat with and even reach out ahead of time. By doing so, you’ll get more time to think of questions before having their full attention in-person. At the same time, letting them know you’d like to chat at Arival allows them to become familiar with you and your business beforehand.

That said, Checkfront will be in the Networking Lounge throughout the event. If you’re curious about online bookings, or want to know what our reservation software can specifically do for you, make sure to stop by and say hello. Also, feel free to contact Alex anytime by sending an email, connecting on LinkedIn, or using the Arival ConnexMe mobile app during the event.

As for the other attendees — ranging from travel technology to OTAs and distributors — check out the full list here.

Arival Bangkok 2019 sessions and workshops

With so much happening in the program, it’s going to be a challenge to make it to every single session — especially because workshops and demo labs occur simultaneously. That’s why, again, you should look at the session overview now, decide which ones you can’t miss, and schedule your time at Arival Bangkok accordingly.

You can review the full program here. Otherwise, we’ve got some recommendations that we’re also looking forward to sitting in on.

Theatre sessions

This is Asia’s Arival
Douglas Quinby, Co-founder, Arival
Time: 10:00 am, Tuesday June 25th

Ask Me Anything: Klook
Douglas Quinby, Co-Founder, Arival
Wilfred Fan, Chief Commercial Officer, Klook
Time: 10:25 am, Tuesday, June 25th

Roundtable: OTA’s & What’s Next in Distribution
Zishan Amir, Mega Adventure
Chee Chong Chan, GlobalTix Pte Ltd
Daryl Foong, Aquaria KLCC
Baidi Li, TripAdvisor Experiences
Time: 10:50 am, Tuesday, June 25th

The View from Google
Eugenie Lam, Google
Time: 4:10 pm, Tuesday, June 25th

Roundtable: Tours, Attractions, or Experiences? An Industry Flux
Taro Amornched, TakeMeTour
Laurent Kuenzie, Asian Trails Group
Ken Mishima, JTB
Douglas Quinby, Co-founder, Arival
Prasanna Vee, GoQuo
Time: 11:30 am, Wednesday, June 26th

Roundtable: Operator Talk
Jenna Blumenfield, Arival
Takahiro Noguchi, Beauty of Japan
John Sharpe, Riverlife
Denis Zhu, Kidzania Bangkok
Time: 4:30 pm, Wednesday, June 26th

Workshops

Working with Online Travel Agencies (So it works for you)
Ken Frohling, Eatwith
Time: 1:30 pm, Tuesday, June 25th

How to Choose Your Booking Tech
Sarah Davis, Taste of Thailand
Christian Watts, City Sightseeing San Francisco
Time: 1:30 pm, Tuesday, June 25th

Growing Direct Online Bookings
Chirag Gupta, Deyor Camps
Alex Kremer, Co-founder, Arival
Adam Platt-Hepworth, Grasshopper Adventures
Time: 1:30 pm, Wednesday, June 26th

Take Control of your Business Profile and Content on Google
Eugenie Lam, Google
Time: 1:30 pm, Wednesday, June 26th

Networking at Arival Bangkok 2019

One of the best parts of Arival is the camaraderie that takes place amongst everyone attending. While learning more about the tours and activities space, you can also get to know others who are passionate about it — and travel in general. So as you plan around the sessions and workshops, keep in mind the various networking opportunities.

For your reference, here’s all the fun that will be going on at Arival Bangkok — along with morning coffee and lunch breaks:

Arival Welcome Reception
Wine, beer, and canapés
Time: 6:30 pm, Monday, June 24th
Location: The Riverside Terrace at the Anantara Hotel

A Bangkok Experience Party
A float down the Chao Phraya River, and music and entertainment at the historic Lhong 1919, renovated outdoor market.
Time: 6:00 pm, Tuesday, June 25th
Location: Boat departs from the Anantara Riverside Resort dock between 6:00 pm and 7:15 pm.

Just remember, when it comes to networking at industry events, it’s important to show genuine interest, bring your business cards, and wear your badge at all times.

Other Arival Bangkok tips 2019

• Where to stay: It would be convenient to stay at one of the host hotels, the Avani+ or Anantara, but you might not get a reservation this late. Instead, find something nearby in Thon Buri, or along the Chao Phraya River. Staying anywhere else — like the popular Sukhumvit Road — isn’t ideal because the Skytrain (BTS) and Subway (MRT) lines don’t operate at night, or reach close enough to the location.
• How to get there: Arriving at the Suvarnabhumi airport, it’s easier to catch a cab than ride the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai, and find your own way there. Getting to and from the event, you can take the Chao Phraya River Express Boat for no more than 29 baht. As for an authentic Bangkok experience, you can take a tuk-tuk and negotiate the fare — so long as you’re okay with the possibility of stopping at a few tourist trap shops first.
• What to bring: Of course, pack the standard conference items — notebook, pens, business cards, phone charger, etc. As for food and beverage, Arival will provide coffee and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday, and there will be canapés at the Welcome Reception, and dinner at the Bangkok Experience Party. But it’s a good idea to bring snacks for all the time in between.
• How to register: Registration starts at 12:00 pm on Monday, the 24th, and will stay open throughout the event. Look for the check-in area on the 10th floor of the Avani+ Riverside Hotel in the Networking Lounge.

For more information, read about what to expect at Arival Bangkok 2019.

Want to try out Checkfront before talking to our team at Arival Bangkok?