Ever since the global tourism revival began earlier this year, MICE has been one of the fastest growing segments, with almost all events coming back as in-person events, but with a hybrid version as a takeaway from the Covid-19 pandemic which had reduced all meeting to the virtual domain. Most destinations are trying to rapidly adapt to the changed world of business meetings. Busan in South Korea is banking on its offer to attract greater volumes of MICE business.

The changed new-normal environment of business meetings and MICE events which reached their limits in off-line versions and moved towards hybrid events, accelerating the digital transformation of the MICE industry. Countries around the world are now moving quickly to accommodate these rapidly evolving MICE trends.

The South Korean city of Busan is also proactively projecting itself as an ideal MICE destination and has mounted unique venues for MICE and also reinforced communication activities through the promotion of its international conference complex, Haevenue. As part of these efforts, Busan is preemptively setting a new direction for 2023 and continuing its development as a global MICE city.

Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) has mounted a virtual platform that allows visitors to experience the city’s MICE venues and tourist attractions through VR. The platform, which provides tourist information on accommodations and transportation, also offers additional services for visitors to Busan including MICE tour recommendations and discount coupons. The MICE Tourist Information Centre even operates a VR Experience Chair where people can sit and virtually experience Busan’s best tourist spots, which motivates MICE participants to go out and explore Busan in real life, says a press statement.

The statement says that Busan has built a unique MICE infrastructure and is gaining worldwide recognition as an optimal MICE venue. The city of Busan has selected 20 unique venues that reflect its quintessential traits and characteristics, and is actively carrying out education, promotion, and diverse marketing activities. Each activity is implemented in three stages—new, growing, and maturing–in connection with support policies targeted for each stage, says the statement.

This year, the cultural spaces Cotton Diary, Yacht Tale, and The Fullmoon, where visitors can enjoy and experience Busan’s coast up close, were selected as new unique venues.

Busan is also developing the Haevenue as an international conference complex equipped with high-quality marine leisure, international conference, and tourist facilities, to attract and hold diverse events. Currently, the city provides support, ranging from venue rental discounts and tour programmes for event participants, for conferences hosted at Haevenue.

The BTO established its goals for the future development and growth of the MICE industry based on its 2022 performance. In order to revitalise the MICE industry that has weakened over the past two Covid-filled years, the BTO conducted a promotional contest for its unique venues. It also provided a wide range of support for events held in Busan and succeeded in attracting and hosting large-scale global events such as the Asian Patent Attorneys Association Council Meeting (APAA 2022) and the International Astronomical Union General Assembly (IAUGA 2022).

The statement says that BTO plans to systematically introduce programmes in 2023 aimed at key targets, including supporting corporate incentive events and developing customised tourism programmes. The BTO also plans to expand its online marketing channels and discover new markets to promote Busan as a MICE city around the world and to vitalise the Busan MICE ecosystem by supporting the joint marketing activities of BMA member companies and the global activities of the Young MICE Group.