seoul convetion bureau

Seoul and 8 local governments commit to joint MICE marketing

Partnered local governments stimulate the local economy through events lasting one night or more

Mutual complementation of content expands options for organizers

As the fifth year approaches since its initiation in Seoul in 2019, “PLUS CITIES” is garnering anticipation as it has been actively promoting MICE collaboration among different cities. PLUS CITIES is a regional cooperation initiative among MICE cities for seeking a mutually beneficial path through collaboration between cities, leveraging the strengths, technology, and expertise of each city.

Seoul has established MICE joint marketing partnerships with eight local governments, including Gangwon-do Province, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Gyeonggi-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Incheon Metropolitan City, Jeollabuk-do Province, and Chungcheongbuk-do Province, and has implemented various support programs as part of this collaboration. PLUS CITIES has been offering MICE event organizers visiting Seoul and partnered local governments the opportunity to experience the cultures of both cities in a single event and integrating content.

Event organizers conducting events while touring cities can benefit from overlapping support programs in each visited city, maximizing their advantages. Seoul and partnered local governments have collaborated on promoting PLUS CITIES through activities such as FAM tours, MICE media print advertisements, and promotional efforts at international MICE exhibitions and roadshows.

Let's explore the achievements of PLUS CITIES through the cases of two metropolitan cities, Daejeon and Incheon.

[Daejeon Metropolitan City] “PLUC CITIES, turned ‘no-fun city’ into ‘fun-filled city’”

Daejeon is an excellent MICE city with a clear concept as the 'City of Science' and outstanding accessibility, allowing entry from anywhere in the country within a 2-hour timeframe. Recognized as a leading science and technology hub in South Korea, the city hosts international conferences related to science and technology all year round, owing to the concentration of government-funded research institutions, universities, and corporate research centers.

In particular, the “Waterfront MICE Complex Zone” is emerging as a new landmark in Daejeon and symbolizes Daejeon's MICE industry. This area features the Daejeon Convention Center with its Exhibition Hall 1 (19 meeting rooms, 1 exhibition hall, accommodating 2,500 people) and Exhibition Hall 2 (520 exhibition booths, accommodating 8,000 people). Additionally, it includes the pioneering urban science complex “Shinsegae Art&Science,” and the outdoor cultural complex “Expo Science Park,” which breathes life into history. The area is also densely populated with 4 to 5-star hotels. Its charm lies in the ability to explore all venues on foot. Moreover, diverse options are available, with UNESCO cultural heritage tours in Gongju and Buyeo in the Chungnam region, as well as Iksan in the Jeonbuk region, all reachable within a one-hour timeframe.

Daejeon chose PLUS CITIES to widely promote Daejeon as a MICE city with robust infrastructure and compelling content. Hee-jung Han, Team Leader of the Daejeon Tourism Organization MICE Bureau Team, stated, “We joined PLUS CITIES to promote the fact that Daejeon is not a ‘no-fun city’ but instead a great place for MICE activities and tourism thanks to its unique characteristics and charm as a MICE destination,” and further added, “Daejeon, being reachable from Seoul in under an hour via KTX, poses no significant challenge for hosting events linked to international conferences held in Seoul.”

Through PLUS CITIES, Daejeon provides support to event organizers hosting conferences. For international conferences (with 10 or more foreign participants) and domestic conferences (with 300 or more domestic participants, each staying at least one night), the city offers financial assistance of KRW 20,000 per international participant and KRW 10,000 per domestic participant. Additionally, support includes venue rental fees, lunch and dinner expenses, production costs for promotional materials, accommodation, performances, tourist guides, and tourism buses. The level of support can vary depending on the scale of the event, economic impact on the local area, and the number of participants.

Daejeon asserts that PLUS CITIES has provided MICE professionals with an opportunity to reassess Daejeon as a valuable MICE city. The city is undergoing a transformation from being labeled a 'No-Fun City' to becoming a 'KNOW-Fun City.' Team Leader Han mentioned, “Through this year's PLUS CITIES program, many participants who attended the FAM tour said that they rediscovered the true appeal of Daejeon. She emphasized that it was a great opportunity to showcase Daejeon's hidden charms.

By focusing on promoting its MICE brand to potential customers both domestically and internationally through PLUS CITIES, and emphasizing “City Ideal for MICE” and the “Science and Technology Hub Located at the Center of South Korea,” Daejeon aims to concentrate efforts on marketing its identity as a prime destination for MICE activities.

[Incheon Metropolitan City] “Strengthening 'joint marketing' to amplify promotional effects”

Incheon, with Incheon International Airport as the premier air transportation hub in Northeast Asia, serves as the first point of entry for overseas MICE participants arriving in Korea. From the airport, it takes just 25 minutes by car to reach Songdo International Conference Complex, and it is less than an hour to key areas in Seoul such as Gangnam or Sinchon. From the KTX station in Gwangmyeong, traveling to Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju is fairly easy.

The Songdo International Conference Complex, where MICE one-stop services are available, features the specialized convention and exhibition facility, Songdo ConvensiA (four exhibition halls, two large meeting rooms, 35 small meeting rooms, accommodating up to 20,000 people). Centrally located and within walking distance, there are also seven deluxe hotels in the vicinity. Each of these hotels is equipped with convention and exhibition facilities as well as banquet halls, essentially making the entire complex a dedicated MICE zone.

Yeongjongdo Island is emerging as Incheon's new MICE destination, experiencing steady growth. Within walking distance of Incheon International Airport, the area features large-scale MICE-capable luxury hotels such as Paradise City and Grand Hyatt Incheon. Additionally, the Inspire Entertainment Resort, equipped with an arena and casino, is set to open in March next year. Surrounded by the sea on all sides, visitors can enjoy unique tourism and experiential programs in this scenic location.

The key focus for Incheon in PLUS CITIES is “joint marketing.” The decision is based on the belief that participating in promotional marketing events, such as various MICE expos, seminars, and FAM tours, together with PLUS CITIES, yields greater outcomes than individual efforts by local governments. In a practical example, during a FAM tour in July jointly organized with Seoul, both local governments shared the budget, leading to cost savings and higher satisfaction among participants with the eventful itinerary. This demonstrated a synergistic effect where the budget was reduced compared to conducting a solo FAM tour while enhancing the promotional impact.

Incheon supports corporate conferences and incentive tourism through PLUS CITIES. The support is divided into financial assistance and tailored support. Financial support can go up to KRW 100 million and covers venue rental fees, accommodation expenses, official banquet food and beverage expenses, and performances. Tailored support includes hospitality services, consultation, and administrative support such as letters of support.

Incheon plans to leverage its geographical proximity to Seoul and further expand the scope of PLUS CITIES. Hye-ran Seo, the head of the MICE Bureau Team at the Incheon Tourism Organization, stated, “Incheon possesses diverse MICE infrastructure, including Songdo International Conference Complex and Yeongjongdo Complex Resorts, making it convenient for hosting MICE events.” She emphasized, “When traveling to other regions including Seoul, we provide shuttle bus services for hospitality, ensuring convenience in transportation.”

PLUS CITIES, Inspiration for the Growth of the MICE Industry in Korea

Cities participating in PLUS CITIES aspire to deepen and broaden intercity collaboration. In the fiercely competitive global MICE market, offering organizers increased choices while reducing costs is a mutually beneficial proposition. Furthermore, by complementing each other with unique MICE content, PLUS CITIES is expected to be a significant driving force for the sustainable development of the MICE industry in Korea, fostering mutual growth between Seoul and local governments.