The Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau (OCTB) has revealed ambitions to differentiate the city in the global business events market by capitalising on the legacy of Expo 2025.
In hosting the mega-event at Yumeshima Island over April to October 2025, Osaka made advancements in safety and operational expertise, accessibility, and digital and smart city infrastructure, which are major selling points for international event mangers, OCTB’s director of MICE promotion, Asako Shiomi, told TTGmice.
During Expo 2025, the city developed a network of 30,000 trained volunteers, advanced counterterrorism and drone security measures, VIP protocols and real-time disaster information-sharing systems. Kansai International Airport was expanded, and rail and road links between central Osaka and the bay area were improved.
Furthermore, technology implemented during the event, such as next-generation communications, smart mobility and decarbonised energy systems, will be maintained, allowing Osaka “to pitch next-generational MICE experiences where attendees can genuinely experience the future society”, Shiomi said.
The OCTB hopes these legacies, combined with local economic development and inward investment, will increase Osaka’s appeal as a business events destination.
Priority markets for growth include international conferences in advanced medicine, regenerative medicine and biotechnology, as well as large-scale exhibitions and business events from highly eco-conscious organisations, particularly in Europe and North America.
The organisation is also optimistic about the impact of the integrated resort (IR) scheduled to open on Yumeshima Island in 2030, which will feature 30,000m2 of exhibition space, 37,000m2 of conference facilities and 2,500 keys.
“The single greatest opportunity (for Osaka) is securing a decade-long window of sustained international investment and global spotlight by passing the baton of high international recognition from the Expo to the opening of Japan’s first IR. The addition of world-scale MICE facilities within the IR will unlock the capability to host massive incentive travels and mega-conferences that previously exceeded Japan’s capacity limits,” stated Shiomi.
