KENNY COYLE REPORTS FROM THE NOVEMBER 2024 KOREAN MICE EXPO

orean MICE industry leaders are promoting a twin-track strategy to push the country into the first ranks of global events destinations while simultaneously building a regional alliance with East Asian neighbours China and Japan .

Speaking at the conclusion of the 25th edition of Korean MICE Expo ( KME ), held in November 2024 at Songdo Convensia in Incheon , Korea MICE Association ( KMA ) chairman Danny Hyundae Shin said that the event ’ s theme ‘ Much , More , MICE ’ represented the Korean “ representative convergence ” perspective , namely that the MICE sector had to offer more than alliances between hotels and purpose-built venues , but had also to integrate all kinds of subsidiary services more effectively . These include regional tourism bodies , convention centres , PCOs and PEOs , unique venues , hotels , travel agencies , IT companies , local governments and tourism boards .

This strategy was being followed

successfully both at a national level as well as by provincial and city convention bureaus , Shin said , as well as among the KMA ’ s 260 or so members .

Shin was speaking at the conclusion of November ’ s KME2024 , which was an event co-organised by the KMA and the Incheon Tourism Organisation ( ITO ), with support from the Korean Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism ( MCST ), Incheon Metropolitan City and the Korea Tourism Organisation ( KTO ).

The KMA chairman pointed to the large number of MICE industry bodies supporting KME2024 , which ran or co-hosted discussion sessions , including the Korean Association of Professional Convention Organisers ; Korea Tourism Policy Research Association ( TOPA ); Korea MICE Tourism Society ( KMTS ); Society of Business Events and Conventions ( SBEC ); Korea Association of Trade Exhibition Studies ( KATE ); MICE Tech Alliance ( MITA ); and the Professional Convention Management Association ( PCMA ).

This year ’ s event drew around 300 vendors representing 18 Korean destinations , hotels and resorts , venues and ancillary suppliers , with more than 400 exhibition booths .

Left : KME2024 saw 4,000 meetings and attracted 3,000 MICE professionals

KME2024 also attracted over 130 domestic and international hosted buyers from 31 countries . Organisers estimated that more than 3,000 MICE professionals participated in one form or another and around 4,000 business meetings were held .

One significant initiative was the inauguaration of the Korea-China-Japan MICE Forum , which brought together representatives of the major MICE associations from the three countries . Shin hopes this will become a regular part of the yearly MICE calendar .

Speakers from the three countries outlined the benefits of closer cooperation at one of KME ’ s sessions , where each representative outlined the advantages of their home destination and aimed to encourage greater collaboration in the East Asia region .

The ubiquitous popularity of Korea ’ s ‘ Hallyu ’ cultural wave was cited by Eunjoo Yoon , vice-president of the Korea MICE Association , as a unique factor in driving interest among overseas groups for incentive and meetings business for the country .

Minjoo Jung , assistant manager of the MICE planning and management team at the KTO said that the agency was expanding its reach into source markets beyond its traditional Asia Pacific , European and US mainstays .

“ The KTO has newly opened a branch office in Mexico City , our first in Latin America . During KME2024 , we even met with a buyer from Tanzania who mentioned how popular Korean culture has become in Tanzania and other African countries , so we have considerable potential to develop fresh markets ,” she said . n n After nine years at Songdo , KME2025 will move to COEX in Seoul on 4-5 November 2025 .