seoul convetion bureau

Seoul and Five Regional Governments Successfully Host ‘PLUS CITIES Fam Tour’ to Boost MICE Attraction

Joint MICE Marketing Tour Across Seoul, Gwangju, Gyeongnam, Jeonnam, Chungnam, and Chungbuk Gains Industry Attention

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization (CEO Kil Ki-yon) successfully conducted the ‘PLUS CITIES Fam Tour’ from June 9 (Mon) to June 14 (Sat), targeting key personnel from domestic MICE travel agencies.

As part of the ‘PLUS CITIES’ initiative, a regional MICE collaboration network, the fam tour was jointly organized with five regional governments — Gwangju Metropolitan City, Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongnam-do, and Chungcheongbuk-do — that have signed MICE cooperation agreements with Seoul. Starting in Seoul, the tour proceeded through Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, Gwangju, Chungbuk, and Chungnam, featuring curated experiences aimed at enhancing group MICE attraction."

On the first day in Seoul, participants visited unique venues such as Vertigo at Conrad Seoul and experienced the SEOULDAL for panoramic views of the Hangang River. They also explored Seoul’s newest MICE infrastructure in the southwestern cluster, including COEX Magok and Mercure Ambassador Seoul Magok, gaining firsthand insight into the city’s emerging MICE assets and tourism offerings.

A total of 10 professionals took part in the fam tour — all experienced in organizing inbound corporate meetings and incentive travel programs. Participants then engaged in a variety of hands-on experiences that showcased the unique tourism resources of each region. These included a gatkimchi-making at Gatgoeul Village in Jeonnam, a traditional tea ceremony at the Hadong Tea Museum in Gyeongnam, a docent-led tour of Yangnim-dong History and Cultural Village in Gwangju, a site inspection of Cheongnamdae, a Korea Unique Venue in Chungbuk, and a visit to the Boryeong Mud Theme Park in Chungnam.

Throughout the six-day, five-night tour, participants also had opportunities to network with local MICE stakeholders, including venue and hotel representatives, allowing them to gather practical information for future group MICE event planning.

Kil Ki-yon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, stated, “When Seoul and regional cities are connected through a single journey and grow together, the overall competitiveness of Korea’s MICE industry is maximized.”

He added, “We will continue to promote the PLUS CITIES project to foster mutual growth and lead the way in sustainable development of Korea’s MICE sector.”