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The "2009 Seoul Convention Support Program Seminar," jointly organized by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and Coex was held on November 17 at the Coex Art Hall. The seminar provided an opportunity to examine ways to enhance the competitiveness of Seoul, a city that is consistently ranked as one of the top-10 convention destinations in the world, and discover new avenues for future growth and expansion.
The seminar opened with a drawing show that was followed by greetings from distinguished representatives, a presentation on the support program, a presentation on successful cases of convention attraction and hosting, a dinner banquet, and a play titled "Old Thief" that marked the end of the day's events.
The event was attended by numerous industry leaders including president of the STO, Samuel Koo, CEO of KTO Lee Charm, CEO of Coex, Bae Byeong-gwan, as well as dignitaries and government representatives including Deputy Mayor of Seoul Ra Jin-gu, Professor Park Hyeong-ju of Pohang Engineering University, Professor Kim Jong-seon of Seoul National University, Professor Lee Byeong-in of Yonsei University, Vice-president Lee Jin-yeong of Samil PwC, Director Yoo Seong-no of HS Ad Co., and CEO of Korea PCO Association Kim Seung-mi.
In his welcoming address, President Lee of the KTO said that "while a tourist from Japan spends an average of $500 during his or her visit to Seoul, a convention participant spends an average of $2, 500," illustrating the importance of the convention industry. He added that "a variety of programs designed to impart a lasting impression on visitors seeking more than a MICE visit must be developed in order to entice visitors to come back to Seoul," and added that "the KTO will also utilize such initiatives as the 'Global MICE Program' to help boost the MICE industry."
Mr. Bae Byeong-gwan of Coex also welcomed seminar attendees during his address, and outlined the vision of the convention center by stating that "various efforts are under way to make Coex the center of a green MICE industry."
The Seoul Convention Bureau of the STO is currently operating a number of programs designed to support attracting and hosting conventions. The bureau has made available up to 60 million won in financial support for organizations that intend to hold a convention event in the city of Seoul, and provides assistance for inspection teams, letters of support from the mayor's office and video messages, and multimedia convention promotional materials. Other major programs managed by the STO for providing aid to convention organizers include volunteers for various events, support for advertisements on the Multicube at the arrival terminal of Incheon International Airport, travel guides, special multimedia presentations about Seoul, and other programs and materials.
Overall reaction by attendees was very positive, and several participants stated that "the '2009 Seoul Convention Support Program Seminar' was not limited to outlining the city's support programs for attracting and hosting MICE events, but also provided a chance to meet industry representatives and top officials to share the latest knowledge and information."
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