MICE Seoul Monthly Webzine

2011 UNWTO Expected to Boost Korea's MICE Industry

Seoul, a complete convention city, is the stop for 70% of all Visitors to Korea

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the largest global international organization in the tourism industry, announced at the 18th General Meeting held on October 7th in Astana, Kazakhstan the selection of Korea as the host of the 2011 meeting. The UNWTO is an intergovernmental organization with 154 member countries whose biennial general meeting is the largest international conference in tourism.

Korea's selection is expected to provide an opportunity to promote Korea's tourism industry to the world as well as enhance the prestige and capabilities of the nation's MICE industry. Government officials and industry representatives expect the event, one of the largest ministerial-level international conferences in the world, to generate over 14 billion won in economic spin-offs as well as produce significant intangible effects in a number of industries.

In addition, the 2011 UNTWO meeting will be held during the "Visit Korea Year" (2010-2011) designated by the Korean government as part of its plans to promote the tourism industry as one of the nation's next-generation new growth drivers, raising hopes for additional synergic effects. "The meeting, which will be attended by over 1,500 people including tourism ministers and officials from 154 countries, will lay the foundations for the next phase of the growth of our tourism and MICE industries," said a tourism industry insider.

Vice-minister of Sports, Culture and Tourism Shin Jae-min, who participated in the press conference on Korea's selection as the host of the next UNWTO General Meeting that was held in the Kazakhstan Independence Hall press room, said, "The UNWTO meeting will serve as a prime opportunity for Korea's entry into the ranks of global tourism leaders," and added that "the ministry will initiate a variety of projects to support this event, including special incentives to foreign tourists."

"Not only will we provide benefits to tourists visiting Korea during out "Visit Korea Year", such as special incentives, but our ministry as well as related agencies and organizations will undertake large-scale overseas marketing efforts," said Vice-minister Shin, and revealed that "over eight million visitors came to Korea last year, and we will increase our target for visitors to 10 million by 2012."

In an answer to a question regarding the master plan for the 2011 meeting, Vice-minister Shin stated that "Korea has extensive experience in hosting a variety of international conferences, and our major cities including Seoul, Busan and Jeju already have ample capabilities for holding major meetings even without any additional investment or preparation."

"We expect our major cities to complete intensively for the right to host the meeting," he added.

Korea's current MICE industry amounts to 0.45% of the GDP, lagging far behind the average of 1-2% in developed nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada. The 2011 UNWTO meeting is expected to act as a major impetus in raising Korea's tourism and MICE industry to the next level.