Sendai Convention Bureau has launched two new subsidies for inbound international event groups as part of its goal to grow meetings and incentive travel arrivals – a segment of business events that is new to the Japanese city.
Groups of 10 or more staying 20 or more nights in Sendai city hotels can receive up to 500,000 yen (US$3,260.30) in subsidies – this is based on 5,000 yen per night multiplied by the number of nights’ stay in the destination.
Groups are also offered a list of attractions, welcome services, transportation, and experiences to choose from, with such support valued at up to 100,000 yen. To qualify, groups must comprise 10 or more participants staying 20 or more nights in Sendai, and hold their event at facilities within the city or at the bureau’s members outside the of the city.
Representatives from Sendai were in Singapore recently to attend the Japan National Tourism Organization’s (JNTO) MICE Business Meetings 2024, where they worked on exploring new markets.
Justin Velgus, bureau spokesperson, said: “We are really strong in academic-related scientific conferences, but meetings and incentive travel are new to us. As our large convention centre (Sendai International Center) is undergoing renovations for two years, we’re exploring other ways to attract visitors and bring in new revenue streams.”
According to ICCA’s Annual Country and City Rankings Report 2023, Sendai hosted 15 conferences, six more than 2022, ranking it 34th in Asia and seventh in Japan after Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.
The bureau is keen to understand the needs of corporate planners based in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Velgus added that Sendai’s main markets for corporate incentive travel now are Taiwan and Thailand, and the bureau has never conducted trade outreach in Singapore nor participated in a JNTO event.
The bureau hopes to improve knowledge among buyers of the city’s offerings as well as its accessibility from Tokyo.
Velgus said: “I know that the main cities of Kyoto and Tokyo are still very popular (among Singapore corporates). I would like to point out that what you can find in those cities – the nature, food, and experiences – you can also find in Sendai. Moreover, the city is less crowded, and venues and hotel prices are much cheaper.”
