Gyeonggi Province – spanning 31 cities and counties – is charting a new course as a standalone business events hub, challenging the long-held perception that it serves as a backdrop to Seoul.
“Our primary goal is to position Gyeonggi not as an add-on to Seoul, but as a complete and independent MICE destination in its own right,” said Dong-han Kang, tourism business department director, Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO).
To establish this identity, GTO is focusing on two key priorities. The first involves combining urban convention hubs like Suwon and Goyang with nature-based venues in Gapyeong, Paju, and Yangpyeong to offer experiences that differentiate the province.
The second priority is being a leader in Green MICE. In 2025, GTO introduced the Gyeonggi-type Sustainable MICE Guidelines, featuring 70 measurable indicators across environment, social, and governance dimensions. For planners who aim to demonstrate ESG credentials, GTO is offering up to 25 per cent in additional funding support for events that adopt these practices.
As the headquarters for semiconductor and IT giants such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and host to the Pangyo bio-health cluster and a robust automotive sector, Gyeonggi also offers organisers direct access to South Korea’s leading innovation ecosystems.
“This makes us a natural fit for conferences and exhibitions in these sectors, including industrial facility tours that delegates can’t experience anywhere else,” said Kang.
On the infrastructure side, the province offers varying capacity for all types of events. For instance, the Suwon Convention Center features an exhibition hall, 28 meeting rooms, and a 256-seat theatre.
Meanwhile, KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) in Goyang is undergoing a major expansion that will make it South Korea’s largest venue. Upon completion, the project will bring the center’s total exhibition capacity to 178,000m2.
Earlier this month, popular K-pop boyband BTS’ ARIRANG World Tour brought 129,000 fans to Goyang Stadium while merchandise operations ran out of KINTEX. Following this success, Goyang City launched Goyang Con-Trip, a structured programme linking concert attendance with local tourism to show that world-class entertainment and business events can coexist seamlessly, explained Kang.
Beyond these, the province offers unique venues like the UNESCO World Heritage Suwon Hwaseong Fortress for evening receptions, the DMZ Peace Trail for immersive historical experiences, and the nature retreats of Gapyeong and Yangpyeong.
To entice event planners, GTO offers a comprehensive assistance package. This includes financial incentives and a practical Green MICE Checklist covering 14 items across five categories.
Planners can also access complimentary site inspections, end-to-end event coordinator support from planning through to on-site execution, and curated access to a portfolio of over 25 unique venues.
“Planners who come to Gyeonggi with open expectations leave as advocates,” said Kang. “Our infrastructure is expanding, our unique venue portfolio is growing, and our ambition to compete on the global MICE stage is already backed by results. We genuinely believe Gyeonggi deserves a place on every international planner’s shortlist.”
