Seoul ups subvention funding and offers app/VR development help for planners

The Seoul Convention Bureau has this month officially rolled out its new 2019 PLUS SEOUL programme with increased subvention funding designed to boost business events. In addition to an expanded core benefit of up to KRW250m (US$220,360) (previously KRW150m) for qualifying international conferences and up to KRW200m for corporate/incentive groups (previously KRW100m), the Seoul Convention Bureau has designed some new customised experiences for MICE events. Planners can choose, depending on the scale of their event, from various complimentary options, such as customised cookies with corporate logos, storytelling performances, bus wrapping, photo mosaic walls, K-beauty booths, and video services to capture delegates’ experiences in Seoul. And for international congresses with over 1,000 participants, PLUS SEOUL is able to contribute to development costs for event apps and VR experiences. In addition to core benefit offerings, such as welcome messages at Incheon International Airport, large conventions can also qualify for other customised experiences: unique venue benefits, Seoul MICE Cards and special tour programmes to explore the city, as well as cultural experiences such as trying on Korean traditional clothing. In the rebranded PLUS SEOUL programme is an updated Seoul welcome kit for MICE participants and reusable chopsticks which have even cooked up their own hashtag #CHOPSTICKSMYWAY for photos from delegates and prizes for the best. Jihyun Kim, the new director of the MICE Planning Team at the Seoul Convention Bureau, said: “We designed PLUS SEOUL with one main question in mind: ‘What can Seoul add to business events?’ Whether it be intellectual exchange, company loyalty, or just fun, we want to give meetings an extra boost.” Seoul came in 10th in the ICCA city rankings in 2016 and 2017 and 3rd in the UIA city rankings for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has shown significant interest in securing business events and the Seoul MICE Alliance (SMA), which consists of over 300 city-approved local partners, have positioned the city to attract even more international conventions and corporate events. Kim added: “We are expecting to add more benefits from SMA throughout the year and increase the value of holding business events in Seoul.”