Active and craft-based programmes are becoming increasingly popular for teambuilding and incentive groups that head to Seoul.
Speaking to TTGmice during a Korea Tourism Organization-led roadshow in Singapore last week, Max Kim, manager, Teamax Adventure, said: “The Asian market seems to be looking for more active programmes, while also experiencing culture. Such programmes are now more popular than city bus tours, as participants get to discover the city in depth, and get closer to the local culture and people. It’s a good thing for me as business is increasing.”
Max Kim
Last month, Teamax Adventure launched a Running Man programme in Seoul. The company picked 10 famous tourist attractions as mission stations, such as the Gyeongbokgung Palace and Namdaemun Gate. At Gyeongbokgung Palace, participants are required to put on traditional Korean costumes and make a music video, while at Namdaemun Gate, participants had to take a group photo with five Korean strangers and make the Korean hand sign for love.
Other mission stations include finding Korean street food, and going beer hunting. The programme is available for most part of the year except for winter.
Kim said the Running Man programme was “one of the best ways to discover Seoul”, and afforded “lots of interaction with the locals”.
His most recent group was 100 people from Singapore.
“We can handle up to 200, but 100 is an ideal number for the Running Man programme. I’ve handled only two groups so far, but I’m hoping to get more international clients soon,” Kim added.
For Sua Lee from Weebur, a company formed in 2014 that runs experiential programmes featuring Korean artists, sees her clients moving towards craft and DIY instead of the cultural programmes. The company can handle groups of four up to 200 people, has 60 programmes in its line-up, focusing on non-traditional experiences.
Weebur’s profile painting activity
When asked which was Weebur’s most popular teambuilding activity, Lee pointed to portrait painting on canvas with a Korean illustrator. In this activity, participants use their company’s profile photo as a guide, draw an outline of themselves onto a canvas, and paint in colours.
Other activities include perfume-making classes, Korean calligraphy lessons, baristas-taught latte art drawings, and bubble bath-bomb making sessions.
Lee said: “This is our first time participating in an international MICE show, and I hope it will help to publicise our non-traditional programmes to more people.”
