MarTech x MICE Golf Tournament 2026 Recap: 3 Lessons on Building Customer Relationships

Before the main stage of Global MarTech Integration Day 2026 in Chiang Mai opened, the event's first day didn't start in a conference room. It started on a golf course. The team at Privage, a CRM and loyalty program platform for Thai businesses, joined the MarTech x MICE Golf Tournament 2026, a relaxed gathering that brought together executives, business owners and partners to grow their networks and open up new business opportunities.

The tournament took place on Monday, August 3, 2026, at Gassan Legacy Golf Club. It was organized by the MarTech Association (Thailand) and the Northern Digital Business Association (NDEA) as the opening activity of Global MarTech Integration Day 2026, themed "MarTech x MICE City", which aims to use marketing technology to position Chiang Mai as a Global MICE City.

An afternoon on the course, an evening at the table

The day was simple: registration and lunch from 12:30 p.m., a group photo, then players headed to their assigned holes for an 18-hole shotgun start at 2:15 p.m. The day closed with a gala dinner and awards ceremony in the evening.

From Privage, Amat Suwannarat, CEO & Founder, and Pakpoom Somroop, Head of Development Team, played on the course alongside executives and partners from many businesses.

In the evening, Rusada Noisong, CMO & Co-Founder, hosted the gala dinner and awards ceremony, before our team took the host role again on the event's main stage the following day.

For our team, what stood out wasn't the scores but the format itself. Golf days and gala dinners are the "I" in MICE — Incentives — the activities organizations use to build relationships and reward the people who matter most, and a business Chiang Mai aims to grow.

 

3 things we kept thinking about, and how Thai businesses can apply them

1. The best relationships often form off stage, but they need a system to last

Conversations while walking between holes or over dinner are often where real business opportunities begin. The problem is that these connections fade quickly if nobody records who they met, what they discussed and how to follow up.

Apply it: Whenever you host or attend an event, log the people you met in your CRM the same day, tagged with the event and what they're interested in, so you can follow up with the right message.

2. Experiences are worth more than discounts

A golf tournament or gala dinner is an experience-based reward, and people remember it far longer than a standard discount. Hotels, restaurants and service businesses in a MICE city can apply the same idea to loyal customers — for example, inviting top-tier members to a special experience instead of offering a slightly bigger discount.

Apply it: Design a tiered loyalty program where the top tier unlocks exclusive activities or experiences, while other tiers use points and coupons as usual.

3. The event ends, but the follow-up has just begun

Many businesses invest fully in hosting or attending an event, then never reach out to attendees afterward, letting new opportunities slip away. A personal thank-you with an offer that matches each person's interests keeps the relationship moving.

Apply it: Segment attendees by interest and set up automated LINE OA follow-ups within 1–3 days of the event, such as a thank-you message with a coupon or an invitation to your next event. Read more about using customer data in the MICE industry in our Global MarTech Integration Day 2026 Chiang Mai Recap.

 

From the golf course to the main stage

The day on the course was a great start to the week. Relationships that began there continued the next day — on the panel stage, at our booth, and in the MarTech Solution Pitching, where our team competed.

As one of the Community Sponsors of the MarTech Association (Thailand), we thank the Association and NDEA for creating a space where business owners can get to know each other in such a relaxed setting.

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Written by: Varintorn Sinlapakitkosol, Marketing Communication Team, Privage