Set your meeting sights on Seoul
A tradeshow in Incheon will explain why South Korea is booming as a locale for international MICE activities
The 19th Korea Mice Expo (KME), South Korea’s largest tradeshow for incentive planners and meeting professionals, will be held at the Songdo Convensia in Incheon on June 14 and 15.
The event will provide 2,000 industry professionals a chance to meet 300 exhibiting local service providers, including convention bureaux, unique venues and travel agencies.
To foster a business-friendly event, this year’s expo will ditch the usual sitdown gala dinner and forums.
“We want it to be bigger and more meaningful for all participants,” says Chulbeum Park, director of the Korea Tourism Organisation Meetings & Incentives Team.
A standing networking party will replace the usual gala dinner to let guests interact freely. Also, convention bureaux will showcase not only their MICE expertise but also their local food specialities during the reception.
For the first time, the expo will have a theme – “Hallyu meets MICE” – offering participants new venues, activities and discussions related to popular Korean films, dramas and music.
One highlight will be the opening keynote by Ahn Soowook, executive director of SM Entertainment, one of the leading showbiz groups in South Korea.
He will discuss ways to incorporate hallyu (Korean wave) in the MICE industry.
The expo will also introduce new programmes, such as Destination Presentations, a Knowledge Cafe and Young MICE Professionals booth, cultural performances and tours of popular destinations.
“Korea has become a favoured destination for incentive travel, especially for groups coming from Southeast Asia,” says Baeho Kim, acting executive director of Korea MICE Bureau.
“The increasing number of groups returning is testament that the country has an infinite selection of places and activities that are able to please varying preferences.”
The number of returning incentive visitors to Korea in 2017 grew by 24 per cent from the previous year, with 240 groups carrying 36,720 delegates.
Since 2000, the Korea MICE Expo has been the sole national MICE exhibition, enlivening the industry, fostering specialists and strengthening marketing competitiveness.
The industry has achieved an unprecedented pace of development over the last 10 years, and the exposition offers an international stage to verified potential, not just in Korea but around the world.
With more than 250 MICE service agencies and 300 qualified buyers, you can seek up-to-date trends and vision at the Korea MICE Expo.
The Korea Tourism Organisation invites event professionals to attend the expo. Email [email protected].
Find out more about the KMB support programme at www.KoreaConvention.org.
