South Korea hopes to entice more business event planners with its rich variety of venues and event support schemes
Following a strong recovery this year, the outlook for South Korea’s business events industry continues to shine bright.
The strong momentum in business this year was established by several prominent events, such as the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 2024 21st Annual Meeting in June, which welcomed 3,300 attendees; the 37th International Geological Congress, which attracted 6,000 delegates in August; and Nuskin Global Live East, which drew in 6,500 delegates in September.
Looking ahead to 2025, The Korea MICE Bureau expects another year of growth. The country already has a plump pipeline of important world gatherings – APEC Summit Meeting in Gyeongju; the 20th Intelligent Transport System Asia-Pacific Forum in Suwon City, which will gather around 2,500 participants from approximately 20 countries; and the 40th International Society for Animal Genetics Conference in Daejeon, expected to attract 1,000 participants from 40 countries.
Korea MICE Bureau and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), which the former reports to, are determined to continue the country’s winning streak by emphasising South Korea’s array of unique venues and immersive experiences that can be found across many cultural attractions.
In 2020, KTO and Korea MICE Bureau established the Korea Unique Venue programme to do exactly that. From just 39 venues at the start, Korea Unique Venue now features 52 qualified special venues – all with their own charm and representation of the region they call home.
By selecting venues that reflect South Korea’s charm and spirit, business event delegates can experience both traditional and modern Korean culture, nature, and the arts.
“Unlike standard convention centres and hotels, these unique venues offer distinctive appeal, enabling international meeting planners to create innovative and diverse MICE events,” explained a bureau representative.
Unique venues new to the programme include P.ARK, a cultural complex that is ideal for exhibitions and other cultural events, Sky 31 Convention, and The National Gugak Center in Seoul; Busan X the Sky, an observatory that overlooks downtown Busan and Haeundae Beach; and Sejahtera Forest RCE located in Tongyeong city, designated as a sustainable development education centre by UN University, a UN-affiliated organisation.
The Korea MICE Bureau is particularly keen to attract corporate meetings and incentive groups from industries such as finance, IT, and healthcare. In the coming new year, the bureau plans to develop relevant courses that will allow attendees from these industry sectors to experience South Korea’s advanced technology and innovation firsthand.
Event organisers considering South Korea can check with KTO on available support schemes.
There is a support programme for corporate meetings and incentive travel programmes. To be eligible, the group size must be a minimum 10 pax, and attendees must stay for at least two nights in the country.
Support range cuts across five grades, with each offering different extent of assistance.
Customised support is also available for groups of 201 to 500 participants (Grade 3).
For larger group sizes of 501 to 2,000 (Grade 2) and 2,001 and more (Grade 1), event organisers will be granted additional subvention to enhance their attendees’ stay in South Korea. The support scheme is subject to change on an annual basis.
