Korea the ultimate MICE destination

Rapid development of infrastructure facilities has turned Korea into a favourite destination for conventions and events. Smooth connectivity and a range of tourist activities also make this country particularly suitable for Indian MICE travellers.

With unmatched state-of-the art convention centres, convenient and efficient transport system, luxury hotels and boutiques and delectable cuisines, Korea has become one of the most favoured convention destinations in the world. This has resulted in Korea boasting of a significant growth in the MICE segment of the outbound tourism industry with every passing year. The facilities offered have also attracted a large number of Indian MICE travellers to Korea. Last year, Korea received almost 1.5 lakh (150,000) Indian visitors showing a 20 per cent growth as compared to the year 2013. Out of the total number of visitors approximately 25 per cent travelled for MICE and related activities. There has been a steady growth of Indian MICE travellers to Korea where there is a larger ratio of small groups of 25-50 guests than groups of 100-200 visitors. Among the best MICE cities in Korea are Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island. They have excellent infrastructure as well as unique attractions and entertainment options besides easy connectivity.

Seoul

Located in the heart of Korea is Seoul enriched with more than 600 years of history. The city is best known for its unique blend of historical palaces, modern infrastructure and futuristic technology. Seoul is popular for its UNESCO world heritage sites, vibrant nightlife and theme parks, with Meyongdong and Itaewon the most popular spots for nightlife and shopping. As the capital it is the perfect amalgamation of a cosmopolitan city and a vibrant city rich in culture and tradition.

Busan

The second largest metropolitan city of Korea, Busan is also a beach destination. It enjoys the reputation of being one of the most attractive convention destinations in Korea and has the privilege of hosting some of the biggest world summits including the APEC Summit in 2005 which was attended by Heads of State of 21 countries. The city is also famous for Busan International Film Festival which attracts thousands of international visitors every year.

Jeju Island

Jeju Island is an exotic destination located south of mainland Korea. It is a visa free destination and has been regarded as one of the seven New

the most famous natural sites Natural Wonders of the World. The Manjanggul Lava Tube and SeongsanIlchulbong (Sunrise Peak) are enlisted among the UNESCO world heritage sites and draw millions of tourists every year. Apart from natural beauty, the island is fully equipped with tourist attractions such as theme parks, aquarium, adventure sports etc. Jeju Island offers various entertainment options for MICE travellers clubbed with casino and nightlife. Abundance of hotels and convention facilities make it an ideal gateway MICE destination for companies worldwide.

Convention facilities

South Korea is at the leading front of technology where the convention complexes can provide outstanding services to large scale conventions and exhibitions. Korea houses more than 10 world class convention centres which can accommodate from a minimum of 3000 people to 10000 people under one roof. Among these, the largest exhibition and convention space in Korea is KINTEX convention centre located in Gyeonggi which is just one hour away from both Incheon International Airport – the gateway to Korea and Seoul city. Other names include COEX in Seoul with largest convention hall capacity of 4500 guests, BEXCO in Busan with the largest convention hall in Korea accommodating 10000 people under one roof and ICC in Jeju Island which can also accommodate more than 4000 people in one hall. Other noteworthy convention centres in Korea are EXCO in Daegu, SongdoConvensiA in Incheon and HICO in Gyeongju. To complement the convention centres, Korea has many international brand hotels with their convention spaces in various parts of the country.

Entertainment facilities

The list of facilities that Korea provides does not end here. The plethora of entertainment options is what makes Korea one of the most sought after MICE destinations for the global audience. Depending upon the preference, one has many options to choose from. Among some of the most popular preferences for MICE groups is the Seoul City Night Tour. The tour starts near the Gyeongbokgung Palace and goes though N Seoul Tower, Namdaemun Market, Han River and Cheonggye Plaza, right in the heart of Seoul. Dinner can be enjoyed while watching the famous tourist spots of Seoul city like 63 building, N Seoul Tower, Jeoldusan Park, etc. There are

many casinos in Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island exclusively for international tourists. All casinos are of international standard and have all the equipment and machinery of the casino world. Korean food has been gaining momentum in the culinary world for its scrumptious cuisines. A unique way to enjoy the evening like a local is to try out Korean barbeque with Soju – the local drink in Korea. Over the weekends restaurants serving Korean barbeque are open till late in the night where people can just relax and have a good time. For theatre and art enthusiast Korea is famous for its Non-Verbal performances like Nanta, Bibap, Jump and Miso. These unique performances display high level of musical and dancing expertise and their performances have won accolades from all over the world.

Outdoor activities

Another exciting part of MICE trips are outdoor retreats. Korea is famous for its excellent products and offerings for outdoor team building programmes. One of the noteworthy mentions is Survival Game (Paintball) at DMZ. Another preferred programme is yachting. The Gyeonggi Yacht School, the best certified yacht training organization in the Seoul area, conducts dinghy yacht and cruiser yacht training from March until October. For nature lovers, One Night Two Days in the Wild is your calling, because only a strong organisation is one with a positive atmosphere. To help foster such an atmosphere in which members can trust and communicate with one another, this program offers a onenight stay in the wild. Teu Racing is also enjoyed by large number of teams. A “teu” is a log raft made by tying together several large logs. It is usually used to sail waters close to land to fish or collect sea plants. The Teu Racing Program enhances cooperation and ties of solidarity between team members. Other experiences include Kimchi making, Treasure Hunt in Jeju Island, Taekwondo Learning, etc which the groups can do depending upon their requirement and objective. Such unique and entertaining experiences have rocketed Korea’s position as the 3rd best MICE country in the world with its cities Seoul & Busan being ranked 4th& 9th best MICE cities globally in the Union of International Associations (UIA) annual report 2014. The majority of MICE business that Korea currently receives is from Asian countries like China, Thailand and Indonesia with support from Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. MICE traffic from European countries, the Indian subcontinent and the Gulf countries has been developing steadily. The New Year has brought new hopes with itself. The year 2015 is anticipated to also remain strong as far as growth of MICE traffic is con-

cerned. Byungsun Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organisation said, “The developing markets including India are expected to play an important role in the overall MICE traffic. We have been working very closely with travel agents and are also in touch with Indian corporates and have very positive indications to growing MICE business from India.”

Wooing Indian MICE groups

Korea has four distinct seasons – summer, winter, spring and autumn which is one of its key highlights in attracting tourists all year round. This is complemented by global air connectivity and superior internal transport system including flight, bullet train (KTX) and high speed highways making any part of the country reachable within a few hours. The MICE USP is being promoted through global and regional promotional campaigns. “Participating in all major MICE events in India is a way to reach out to our potential customers. Hosting annual incentive roadshows in major Indian cities where all the top travel agencies as well as corporates are invited and showcasing our MICE products also gives us a chance know our potential clients,” Byungsun Lee said. Annually, multiple FAM trips are organised for the trade as well as corporates with attractive support programme for groups who would like to go to Korea. We regularly feature across various For Indian MICE groups, food is a very important factor while deciding on a destination. Besides the numerous Indian restaurants top hotels such as the intercontinental hotels group also serve Indian cuisine in their buffet. For Muslim travellers, especially from the Gulf countries a guidebook is provided on how to travel in Korea and availability of Halal food. Apart from food, English language is no longer a hurdle in Korea as all our guides and tour escorts speak English fluently. English, Chinese, and other language translators can be easily arranged on request.