Published as part of Sponsored by

Korea
Convention
Bureau
SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
Korea welcomes your MICE group
The most exciting country in Asia will give your international delegates the experience of their lives
W
elcome to Korea,
a country with the
capability, expertise and
the proven track record
to ensure that your next
MICE event will be successful, memorable
and rewarding. Korea’s colourful
characteristics are unique to both Asia
and the world, many exciting experiences
await your group.
Korea’s blend of traditional and modern
venues, world-class service and a highly
educated population will deliver an
excellent experience for international
conferences, exhibitions and incentives.
Enormous variety
Korea’s wide range of regional differences
give MICE organisers the advantage of
being able to select the most suitable city
for their event or conference.
“Business events groups are amazed by
the unique charms found in each region of
Korea,” says Kun Soo Kim, executive
director of Korea Convention Bureau. “But
regardless of where they choose, they will
enjoy a special variety of sightseeing
destinations, food and entertainment.”
Excellent venues
Korea has countless unique sites and
venues available for MICE events and
2 CEI ASIA OCTOBER 2009
theme parties. These include historical
palaces, ancient temples, galleries,
Korean-style mansions and gardens,
theme parks and sports stadiums.
Traditional cuisine
Kimchi, bulgogi, rice cakes – one of the
highlights of any Korean itinerary is
the brilliant food on offer for visitors.
Yet despite this passion held by Koreans
for their national cuisine, Western and
other international restaurants are readily
available and easily found in all cities.
Royal past
Korea’s traditional culture is top of mind for
most MICE planners. Unique programmes
such as taekwondo training courses and
temple stays will not only enrich your
Seoul offers a mix of modern and cultural icons
Korea’s strong
cultural traditions
are a big
attraction for
international
MICE planners
events, but also leave your participants
with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“The Korea Convention Bureau can
recommend programmes and activities
that complement the nature of your event
or conference,” says Kim.
24-7 excitement
Shopping in Korea is truly a triple pleasure;
high-quality merchandise, low prices, and
eye-opening variety. The sheer number and
variety of shopping arcades, department
stores, duty-free shops, specialised
shopping districts and outdoor markets will
be enough to keep your group busy for
weeks at a time.
“Visitors are impressed with the
dynamism of Korea and the country’s
nightlife, which is representative of the
vibrant energy and passion of Koreans,”
says Kim.
Great destinations
Perhaps your international MICE group
wants to experience the future of Korea
in the newly built sustainable city of
Songdo (page 10), the excitement of the
Korean capital Seoul (page 5), or the
cultural centre of Gwangju (page 8).
Wherever you go, we look forward to
welcoming you, your friends and partners
to discover all that Korea has to offer! ■
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Star Brand will set global standards
Three-year global MICE campaign set to attract more international MICE groups to Korean cities
K
orea has been ranked the world’s
12th most-popular destination
for international meetings,
confirming its world-class
reputation for business events.
The country jumped three places on
the Union of International Associations
(UIA) rankings after hosting nearly 300
international association events last year,
an increase of 10 per cent since 2007.
Korean cities also featured highly on the
list. Seoul was ranked seventh globally,
while Busan jumped to sixth in Asia and
Jeju came in at number eight. Changwon,
Daegu, Daejeon, Gyeongju and Gwangju
also made their debuts on the Asian list.
International association conferences
recently held in Korea include the
9th World Congress on Sleep Apnea
(1,500 delegates), WBC 47th Annual
World Convention (3,500), 14th Asia-
Pacific Retailers Convention & Exhibition
(3,000) and the 2009 Herbalife
Extravaganza (25,000).
Building success
Keen to build on this success and the
momentum generated by this year’s
MICE Expo, Korea Tourism Organization
(KTO) will launch its three-year global
MICE campaign in 2010 via its 27 branch
offices in 17 countries.
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Linda Womack, marketing manager for
KTO, says: “The Global MICE campaign is all
about raising awareness, reaching the right
corporate buyers and meeting planners on
a global scale, at the beginning of their
destination selection phase. This campaign
will convince our targets to look at Korea as a
viable destination for their next MICE event.”
Global brands
Korea is home to many well-known global
brands, such as Samsung, LG, KIA Motors
and Hyundai. KTO will use the reputation
of these brands to develop an annual
convention in Korea. From next year, KTO’s
Star Brand Convention project will support
regional convention bureaux and regional
tourism offices that host approved
conventions and events.
The selected Star Brand conventions will
receive assistance with strategy, finance
and domestic and international publicity.
Womack says: “The top 10 Star Brand
Conventions will grow and gain recognition
as the premier MICE events to attend. Our
vision is to create a convention platform to
equal that of the Davos Forum held
annually in Switzerland.”
Global MICE Campaign and Alliance
Running alongside the Visit Korea Campaign
scheduled for 2010-2012, the Korea
KOREA
Korea hosted nearly
300 international
association events
in 2008
Convention Bureau (KCB) will launch a
global campaign to promote the country’s
MICE industry. The Korea MICE Alliance will
provide more detailed support to buyers,
together with integrated promotions to
help showcase Korea’s attractions as a
destination for international MICE events.
Initiatives for next year include special
discounts to MICE participants on the
Alliance’s products. At the end of
the three-year campaign, KTO says
the domestic industry will be globally
competitive and will attract more
international events to the country. ■
UIA rankings explained
The Brussels-based UIA publishes
annual rankings of the world’s most
popular cities and countries for
international MICE events. In Korea,
business events are a major economic
indicator and MICE services are one of
17 higher value-added industries the
government wants to develop as a national
growth engine. “We know new venues have
opened recently. The market is coming
to the fore in Korea,” says Joel Fischer,
head of the UIA’s congress department.
OCTOBER 2009 CEI ASIA 3

The Korea MICE Expo 2009 will show off the meetings skills and conference facilities that helped the country climb to 12th spot in this year’s UIA rankings
International event skills on display
Korea’s showcase MICE event at Songdo ConvensiA will welcome 3,000 participants from around the world
T
he Korea MICE Expo celebrates
its 10th anniversary this year
by hosting 200 buyers, more
than 3,000 participants and
debuting the brand-new
Songdo ConvensiA in Incheon.
Formerly known as the Korea Convention
Fair, the Expo will be held on November
10-11 and is co-hosted by the Korea Tourism
Organization (KTO) and the Incheon
Metropolitan City Government. Seoul will
host the Expo for the next three years.
The Expo will give Korea the opportunity
to show off the conference facilities that
helped it climb to 12th spot in this year’s
UIA rankings for the world’s most popular
country for global meetings.
“It’s a chance for international exhibitors to
learn about the newest trends in the Korean
MICE market,” says Ok-Ja Shin, director of
the conference’s business events promotion
team. “They can network with other Korean
MICE sellers and enjoy sales opportunities
through buyer-seller meetings.”
WWW.CEI.ASIA
International exhibitors
Overseas tourism bodies – including the
Hong Kong Tourism Board, Singapore
Tourism Board and Japan National Tourism
Organization — will exhibit at the Expo.
Convention bureaux from the Korean
cities of Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon,
Gwangju, Daegu, Busan and Jeju will
also exhibit, as will local hotels, DMCs,
resorts and casinos.
“We expect many MICE organisers to
visit this event and express their interest
in Songdo and Korea,” says Adam Simkins,
general manager of Hyatt Regency
Incheon. “It will be a good opportunity
to provide them with valuable information,
helping them understand that Songdo is
the perfect place for MICE events.”
One of the Expo’s programmes will be
the MICE Knowledge Forum on November
10-11, which will examine the forces driving
Korea’s competitiveness as a business
event destination.
Shin says: “The speakers and panel will
KOREA
be drawn from the world’s business
and academic communities, so attendees
can understand global trends and boost
their professional knowledge of the
MICE industry. The sessions are open to
all attendees and will be conducted
in English.”
Hosted buyers
The Expo will target 60 overseas buyers
and 150 Korean companies. Interested
attendees should register via email.
“Overseas buyers will be fully hosted
by KTO,” says Shin. “This includes airfares,
accommodation, meals and tours, so
guests can get to know Korea and its
key MICE players better.”
The two-day event will also include the
annual meeting of the Korea Convention
Council. The 29 members of the council
represent a number of MICE organisations
including the Korea Convention Bureau,
local convention bureaux, convention
centres and airline companies. ■
OCTOBER 2009 CEI ASIA 5
SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
Modern facilities and cultural icons
Seoul is well known as a global MICE city thanks to its excellent service standards and international appeal
S
eoul’s unique blend of culture,
history and hi-tech facilities is
rivalled by few cities, making it
one of the world’s most popular
venues for MICE events.
With 17,000 deluxe hotel rooms and
14 convention facilities accommodating
more than 1,000 delegates each, it’s little
wonder the city has increased in popularity
since Seoul Tourism Organization
(STO) was formed in February 2008.
Business incentives
Seoul’s flagship venue, the Convention and
Exhibition Centre (Coex), has 51 meeting
rooms that can be subdivided into
89 smaller rooms and four exhibition halls.
Coex’s newest addition is an 808-seat
theatre, the Coex Atrium.
“Seoul is the world’s seventh most-
popular city for international meetings,
according to the Union of International
Associations’ rankings,” says STO president
and CEO Samuel Koo. “We want Seoul to
be the MICE industry’s world leader.”
To attract international conferences, the
Cultural performances
at Samcheonggak are
popular with MICE
groups (above);
Coex has unveiled
a new 808-seat
theatre called
Coex Artium (right)
6 CEI ASIA OCTOBER 2009
Seoul Convention Bureau (SCB), a division
of STO, and the city of Seoul are offering
incentives of up to US$43,000 to meeting
planners keen to host events in the city.
The amount of financial support will
depend on the number of guests and the
economic importance of the event. The SCB
also offers support with bidding proposals
and conference promotion materials.
To support the industry, SCB last year
initiated its Volunteer Support Programme
with more than 700 Koreans who speak
English, Chinese, Japanese, French,
German and Russian. These volunteers
offer help in secretariat and operational
duties for a range of MICE–related events.
Language skills
“Many volunteers are university students
with overseas experience who are currently
enrolled in language programmes or
convention-related fields,” says Koo.
“They have undergone intensive training
and specialise in various services, which
is a big factor in running MICE events
seamlessly and successfully.”
Recent large conventions include the
Seoul International Dental Exhibition and
Conference that drew 25,000 attendees, the
OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of
the Internet Economy, and the 18th World
Congress on Safety and Health at Work.
International hotels
The five-star 185-room Park Hyatt is located
opposite Coex. Next year, the Banyan Tree
Hotel and Resort will open its first Asian city
club in Seoul. Bucking the high-end trend is
the 284-room Lotte City Hotel Mapo, which
opened in April. Lotte was the first local
five-star hotel chain to launch a low-budget
option, with room rates a third of those at
five-star hotels. Courtyard by Marriott
Seoul Times Square also recently opened.
Seoul offers traditional charm as well as
hi-tech modernity. One of the city’s finest
venues is in the forests of Mount Bukasan
near downtown Seoul. Samcheonggak is a
complex of pavilions originally designed to
entertain high-ranking government officials
and international guests. Its eight halls
can seat between 30 and 200 guests. ■
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SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
The true flavour of Korean culture
Art, culture, cuisine and business – Gwangju promises good experiences for international MICE groups
F
amous as a cultural and culinary
hub, Korea’s sixth-largest city,
Gwangju, is a favourite destination
for business events. “Gwangju is
the cultural heart of Korea, as well
as a world-class international convention
city,” says Woong-Il Choi, secretary general,
Gwangju Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Since 1995, it has hosted the Gwangju
Biennale, a two-month contemporary art
exhibition that invites international artists
to display their work. This year, Gwangju
Design Biennale will look at aspects of
Korean culture under the title ‘The CLUE’.
Another notable festival is the annual
Gwangju Kimchi Festival, which
celebrates Korea’s most famous dish and
draws visitors from across the globe.
Ambitious destination
While art, culture and cuisine are at the
centre of Gwangju, it is also an ambitious
and successful business centre. It aims
to become a hub for a range of Korean
industries, including cars, electronic
appliances and photonics.
Gwangju will host
next year’s World
Photonics Expo
(above); the annual
Gwangju Kimchi
Festival attracts
visitors from across
the world (right)
8 CEI ASIA OCTOBER 2009
Choi says: “Next year, Gwangju will host
the World Photonics Expo to promote the
photonic industry and offer opportunities
for famous global photonics enterprises,
scholars and overseas and domestic cities
to share knowledge.”
The Expo will be held from March to
April at KimDaejung Convention Centre
and surrounding areas. Opened in 2005,
KDJCC is named after the former Korean
president, Dae-Jung Kim, Nobel Peace
Prize laureate and Gwangju native.
The venue has 10,800 sqm of exhibition
space, a convention hall capable of holding
1,500 people and 10 meeting rooms that
can accommodate 700 attendees.
Rounding off the year will be the annual
SWEET Fair (Solar, Wind and Earth
Energy Trade) at the KDJCC, hosting
143 companies from 17 countries.
Other meeting facilities in Gwangju
include the Oryong Building at the
Gwangju Institute of Science and
Technology, which often hosts large science
and technology conferences, Chonnam
University’s 5,000 sqm auditorium and
the Science and Technology Cooperation
Centre, which offers a good venue for
medium-sized international meetings.
Global resources
Few cities would have the resources or
skills to host events like the four-week
conference expected to attract two million
visitors from 50 countries, but Gwangju,
a world-class international convention
city, has the backing of the Gwangju
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In 2011, the city will host the UN Urban
Environmental Accords Cities Summit
Meeting. In 2014 it will host the World
Hydrogen Energy Conference, which is
expected to draw 2,000 participants from
50 countries and, in 2015, the Summer
Universiade that will bring together the
university students from across the world.
With accompanying facilities at the
Grand conference room, the business-
oriented deluxe hotel provides convenience
and high-quality services to its guests. Near
the convention centre are accommodation
options including five-star hotels. ■
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SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
Songdo ConvensiA will host more than 200 events this year. It offers 4,020 sqm of pre-event space and conference rooms in a range of sizes
Fantasy becomes reality in Songdo
Everything is bigger and better with world-class facilities in Korea’s first free economic zone near Incheon Airport
T
he new city of Songdo, set to
become a leading international
venue for MICE events, also lays
claim to being the world’s first
purpose-built sustainable city.
“Songdo is located in Korea's first free
economic zone,” says Heui Jeong Han,
assistant manager of the operations team
at Songdo ConvensiA, Incheon Tourism
Organisation. “The MICE industry at Songdo
will play an important role in the trade
and cultural exchanges needed for the
development of the free economic zone.”
New facilities
The world-class convention facility
Songdo ConvensiA opened in July at a
cost of US$120 million. “ConvensiA offers
4,020 sqm of pre-event spaces and
conference rooms in a range of sizes,”
says Han. “There is also 8,410 sqm of
exhibition space partitioned into two areas.”
More than 200 conventions and
exhibitions will be held at the centre in 2009,
10 CEI ASIA OCTOBER 2009
including the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in
September. ConvensiA will host the Korea
MICE Expo in November, with 200 hosted
buyers and more than 3,000 participants.
Songdo is a one-hour drive from
downtown Seoul. The Incheon Bridge also
connects Songdo to Incheon International
Airport in just 15 minutes.
“Korea now has the perfect place for
international business events in Songdo,
thanks to its accessibility and facilities,”
says Adam Simkins, general manager of
the Hyatt Regency Incheon.
Sustainable environment
The highest environmental standards were
applied to the design and construction of
Songdo. Standards set by the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Green Building Rating System (the US
Building Council’s international certification),
were followed to ensure the development
is as green as possible, with an eye on
reducing emissions and energy waste.
The impressive leisure facilities include
a 40-hectare park, modelled on New York’s
Central Park, next to the ConvensiA. Songdo
will comprise an international business
district, information industry complex,
hi-tech bio complex, high-tech industry
cluster and the Songdo Landmark City
with a population of more than 250,000.
Hotel offerings
August saw three new hotels open in
Songdo. The 322-room Sheraton Incheon is
next to Songdo ConvensiA, the 240-room
BENIKIA Premier Songdo Metro is within
walking distance and the 300-room
Best Western Premier Songdo Park is five
minutes away. By the time Incheon hosts
the Asian Games in 2014, 13 new hotels
are set to open.
The 523-room Hyatt Regency Incheon
is conveniently located next to Incheon
International Airport. There is also the
recently renovated 175-room Paradise
Hotel and the 110-room Royal Hotel. ■
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 KOREA

Contact list for Korea

Key organisations and venues for your next conference, exhibition or incentive

CONVENTION BUREAUX
Korea Convention Bureau (KCB)
Tel +82 2 7299 553~559
Email mice@mail.knto.or.kr
Web www.koreaconvention.org

Busan Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tel +82 51 740 3600
Email bcvb@busancvb.org
Web www.busancvb.org/english

Daegu Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tel +82 53 601 5290
Email kkum30@daegucvb.com
Web www.daegucvb.com

Daejeon Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tel 82 42 821 0100
Email dcc@daejeoncvb.or.kr
Web www.daejeoncvb.or.kr

Gwangju Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tel +82 62 611 3624 Coex is Seoul’s flagship venue for international conferences and exhibitions
Email yh@gwangjucvb.or.kr
Web www.gwangjucvb.or.kr CECO (Changwon Exhibition EXCO (Daegu Exhibition
& Convention Center) & Convention Center)
Gyeonggi Tourism Organization Tel +82 55 212 1002 Tel +82 53 601 5038
Tel +82 31 259 6954 Email ejkim@coex.co.kr Email eunsm@excodaegu.co.kr
Email obverse@gto.or.kr Web www.ceco.co.kr Web www.excodaegu.co.kr
Web www.gto.or.kr
Coex (Convention & Exhibition) Centre International Convention Centre
Incheon Tourism Organization Tel +82 2 6000 1121 Jeju (ICC Jeju)
Tel +82 32 220 5071 Email susan_mcgregor@coex.co.kr Tel +82 2 775 1092
Email katesong@into.or.kr Web www.coex.co.kr Email shhan@iccjeju.co.kr
Web www.into.or.kr Web www.iccjeju.co.kr
Daejeon Convention Center (DCC Korea)
Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau Tel +82 42 481 0114 KimDaejung Convention
Tel +82 264 739 1804 Email dcvb@daejeoncvb.or.kr Centre (KDJCC)
Email jejucvb@jejucvb.or.kr Web www.dcckorea.or.kr Tel +82 62 611 2226
Web www.jejucvb.or.kr Email hncho@kdjcenter.or.kr
Web www.kdjcentre.or.kr
Seoul Convention Bureau (SCB)
Tel +82 2 3788 0821~24 KINTEX (Korea International
Email mice@seoulwelcome.com Exhibition Center)
Web www.miceseoul.com Tel +82 31 810 8036
Email frankyang@kintex.com
CONVENTION CENTRES Web www.kintex.com
BEXCO (Busan Exhibition
& Convention Centre) Songdo ConvensiA
Tel +82 51 740 7347 Tel +82 32 210 1013
Email hslee@bexco.co.kr Email jidori84@into.or.kr
Web www.bexco.co.kr Teambuilding at Changgyeonggung Palace Web www.songdoconvensia.com

WWW.CEI.ASIA OCTOBER 2009 CEI ASIA 11