Interferry 2026, the 50th annual conference of the ferry and passenger-boat industry, meets at the Shangri-La Bangkok from 31 October to 4 November 2026. It is a small trade event, so it matters most to agents with clients in shipping, ports or tourism. Our Thailand team covers the week in its briefing on Interferry 2026 in Bangkok. This note is for agents who build programmes for delegates and corporate groups.
The Conference in Brief
- Dates. According to Interferry, the speakers programme runs on 2 and 3 November and the conference ends with a technical tour on 4 November. Pre-event tours and activities fill the weekend before.
- Venue and host. The Shangri-La Bangkok, on the Chao Phraya River. Chao Phraya Express Boat is the host sponsor.
- Size. The Nation reported more than 400 participants from over 270 companies in 40 countries. Interferry's own call for speakers expected 400 to 500 ferry executives.
- Policy angle. Thailand's Transport Ministry is backing the event and says the talks will feed into its maritime policy.
Programmes Around the Conference
Registration for the conference itself is with Interferry, not through a DMC. What a DMC can add is everything around it: airport transfers, hotels for delegates who do not stay at the venue, partner programmes on the speaker days, and pre- or post-conference tours. A few hundred delegates will not fill Bangkok, but groups that want the venue or the riverside hotels near it on those dates should ask for availability early.
Water Transport in a Thailand Programme
The conference is about ferries, and that suits a programme with time on the water. Nothing published says public boat services will change during the week, so river transfers and dinner cruises can be planned as normal and reconfirmed the week before. For groups going on to the islands after Bangkok, ask which operators are used on each crossing and what is checked before they are booked.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Interferry 2026?
From 31 October to 4 November 2026 at the Shangri-La Bangkok, with the speakers programme on 2 and 3 November.
Can a DMC register delegates?
No. Registration is directly with Interferry. A DMC handles transfers, hotels, partner programmes and tours around the dates.
Will the conference fill Bangkok hotels?
It is unlikely to. Check the venue and nearby riverside hotels early if a group needs them.
Where Explera Fits
We plan programmes across our destinations: Thailand, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. Our Thailand team builds conference and incentive programmes in Bangkok and on the islands, and handles hotels, guides, vehicles and boats once the dates are confirmed.
Write to b2b@explera.co.th or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera Thailand holds TAT licence No. 14/05119. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341).
