KINTEX, Goyang: venue of USANA’s 2023 Asia Pacific Convention in May 2023 which drew 10,000 delegates. Photo Credit: KINTEX
South Korea saw a return in large-scale corporate events and
international conferences in May 2023 with the hosting of the 56th
Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and USANA’s 2023 Asia
Pacific Convention.
Its MICE industry was hit over the pandemic period, with over 74.8%
of planned events being either cancelled or postponed. The above two
events mark the first signs of recovery for Korea’s MICE industry
post-COVID-19, according to Korea MICE Bureau.
The 56th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was held
at Songdo Convensia, Incheon from May 2-5. Over 5,000 total
participants, including finance ministers and central bank governors
from 68 ADB member countries, attended the event. This was the third
time the ADB Annual Meeting was held in Korea, after its hosting in
Seoul (1970) and Jeju (2004).
The largest corporate event since the pandemic, USANA’s 2023 Asia
Pacific Convention was held from May 4-6 at KINTEX, Goyang. Some 10,000
USANA employees from 20 countries attended. KTO secured the bid to host
the event in August last year after fierce competition with Malaysia,
with help from Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Goyang Convention Bureau
and KINTEX.
At this year’s event, USANA carried out social contribution events in
connection with the convention by delivering 1,000 food packs to local
children’s centers in commemoration of Children’s Day.
At both conventions, KTO’s support for the hosting of the events
included bidding and hosting support, and the operation of a Korea
Tourism Promotion Booth where attendees had the opportunity to
experience Korean culture, through a Hanbok experience, mother-of-pearl
griptok making, stamping Korean names on folding fans and more.
As part of M&C Asia’s CVB Update series, Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) shares its plans and developments:
What are KTO’s key plans to grow the MICE industry in the next three years?
KTO will embark on a MICE industry digital transformation project, in
which support is provided for MICE-related private companies
specialising in digital transformation. KTO has also developed safety
manuals to better support and enhance the safety level of MICE events.
Collaboration with local regions to improve bidding capabilities and
support for mid- to large-sized international conferences will be
enhanced. Collaborative efforts include establishing customised
marketing plans for events, sharing of key database and personnel, and
developing general support activities through overseas networks.
KTO will strengthen Korea’s MICE competitiveness through
revitalisation of the Korea Unique Venues. The ‘Korea Unique Venue’
programme is a selection of unique venues throughout Korea which are
able to host MICE events. The selection will be increased from the
current 37 to 50 venues this year. In addition, the K-Conventions
programme will showcase Korea’s unique contents such as K-Pop and
K-Food.
What are KTO’s newest developments that MICE planners should know about?
KTO has recently updated its support programme for international
conferences. As the trend shifts towards smaller conferences post-Covid,
the eligibility criteria has changed in response to this trend.
Meanwhile, with the resumption of offline meetings, support for online
meetings will no longer be applicable, while support for hybrid
conferences will remain.
Additional updates include the ‘Korea Unique Venue’ programme, a
selection of venues where participants can experience the unique charm
of the host city. The selection will be expanded from the current 37 to
50 venues, and an updated support programme will be specially tailored
to the characteristics of each venue. For corporate meetings and
incentive groups, additional support will be provided when including a
Korea Unique Venue in the programme itinerary.