Northstar

NUMBER OF CONVENTIONS HELD 2010 0,214 2014 1,849 Increase of 764 % Jul-Aug 2016 47 meetings & conventions • mcmag-asia.com Coex, the centre of MICE business in Seoul. E very year, visitors flock to Seoul, the capital of South Korea, to experience its fascinating duality. Separated by the Hangang, or Han River, the city is divided into two distinct regions: Gangbuk, the historic north with its well-preserved temples, palaces and traditional villages, and Gangnam, the flashy south with trendsetting neighbourhoods, modern skycrapers and upscale shopping districts. But more than just an oasis of leisure, Seoul is also increasingly the place for business. In May, the city hosted its largest single incentive group. Eight thousand employees from Chinese healthcare company Zhongmai Group arrived for a reward trip, which included a visit to Lotte Mall for tax-free shopping and a traditional Korean dinner by the Han River. The five-day event is said to have boosted Seoul's economy by an estimated US$4.2 million. Rise of the hoteliers The growth of MICE-related events has resulted in the proliferation of Seoul's hotel industry. As of 2015, there are some 184 hotels offering a total of 43,000 rooms. Numerous five-star hotels have opened in the past three years, such as Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Conrad Seoul and JW Marriott Dongdaemun. Old-timer Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, opened since 1988, has also sought to reinvent itself for the MICE industry. The hotel has recently rebuilt its Grand Ballroom, the biggest hotel ballroom space in Korea. A MICE superpower in the making Despite having five convention centres – Coex is the largest with 47,543 sqm of exhibition space, Seoul is not resting on its laurels. As part of a masterplan, the Jamsil Sports Complex and its surrounding areas will be transformed into a global MICE centre that further extends to sports, concerts and leisure activities. Spanning 195,000 sqm, the site, when concluded in 2024, is set to become the third largest MICE complex in Asia, behind Guangzhou and Shanghai. The proposed expansion sits well with Darren Morrish, general manager, Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas and Intercontinental Seoul Coex, who believes it is "a great thing". He says: "(The expansion) will benefit our two hotels (both located near Coex) and the city as a whole… and given the right conditions, IHG would be very interested to take other brands such as Crowne Plaza and Indigo to Seoul." Top right: Grand Ballroom foyer of Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas; Bottom right: Employees from the Zhongmai Group were in Seoul for a five-day incentive trip.

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