Helping hands: MICE businesses in Seoul have access to the Restart Online Video Content series. Photo Credit: Adobe stock/EFIRED
The city of Seoul and the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) have
launched a Restart Online Video Content series, providing valuable
insights to aid the re-establishment of MICE businesses as demand for
MICE surges ahead.
The series includes five sessions, ranging from management and legal,
HR and labour, accounting and taxation, to personal and psychological
content. The videos also introduce the Seoul Tourism and MICE Business
Support Center. They are designed to support tourism and MICE businesses
that have “encountered closures due to economic challenges or those
aspiring to make a comeback”, STO said.
The project “extends beyond fortifying resilience in the MICE
industry, highlighting the commitment to proactive responses and swift
interventions before challenges emerge”, it added.
Ki-yon Kil, CEO of STO, said: “The Restart Program is formulated to
assist in the revival of many tourism and MICE businesses that
experienced closures amid the pandemic. The organisation remains
dedicated to support these closed businesses, promote re-establishment
initiatives, and boost competitiveness in the dynamically changing
tourism sector with sustained efforts.”
In September 2023, the city and STO initiated the Restart Program,
which centers on counseling and consultation services. It recently
revamped its offerings to include the new Restart Online Video Content,
which is presented in a Q&A format. Some of the content will include
aiding re-establishment efforts, processing unemployment benefits and
updating personnel recruitment regulations, and advice on tax laws and
closure procedures. The personal and psychological components focus on
providing psychological therapy to restore confidence for business
leaders amid closures, business owners who are restarting, and
unemployed individuals. Experts address common inquiries, with each
session lasting around 10 to 15 minutes.
Strong resurgence of MICE
Seoul witnessed a resurgence in the demand for corporate meetings and
incentive tourism, exceeding pre-pandemic levels in 2023, where Seoul
city and the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) extended support to over
211 corporate meetings and incentive events held in the city, catering
to a participant count exceeding 26,000.
New trends have emerged:
· More bleisure stays, resulting in a reduction in formal events
· An increase in extended stays of over five days with visits to other regions besides Seoul
· The organisation of smaller tours through the division of arrivals for larger groups
· An uptick in visits for industries such as beauty, insurance,
and pharmaceutical, diverging from the conventional sectors
· An increase in the diversification of nationalities among
long-distance inspection teams, with participants from India, Italy,
among others.