Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is moving to develop its MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry in earnest, drawing on more than 20 public and private venues with global reach — including Kangwon Land, Casia Sokcho, Mona Yongpyong, Alpensia Resort and the Gangneung Olympic Park Arena.
The Gangwon Tourism Foundation said the third edition of "Have a MICE Day in Gangwon," a MICE industry briefing and business-to-business consultation event co-hosted by the foundation and the Gangneung Tourism Development Corporation, drew strong interest from key industry figures and concluded successfully Wednesday at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Jamsil, Seoul.
The province's public and private convention facilities — which helped host a successful Olympic Games — along with new hotels and resorts and the surrounding natural scenery and tourist attractions have drawn significant domestic and international attention, fueling expectations that Gangwon's MICE sector is set for continued growth.
The highlight of the event, a B2B consultation session, saw 26 organizations take part — including representatives from four cities and counties: Gangneung, Wonju, Pyeongchang and Sokcho — alongside key MICE venues across the province, all actively pitching for event business.
Members of the Gangwon MICE Alliance — a public-private industry council — including Casia Sokcho, Mona Yongpyong and Alpensia Resort participated and held in-depth consultations with attendees.
The event drew more than 200 key stakeholders with actual authority to organize or send groups to events, including heads of major domestic academic and professional associations, large-scale MICE planning firms and incentive travel agencies, underscoring the industry's strong interest in Gangwon Province as a MICE destination.
At the briefing, the Gangwon Tourism Foundation introduced its event-hosting support programs and incentive schemes, drawing considerable attention from participants. The foundation also promoted region-specific hosting conditions and distinctive attractions, presenting the province as an ideal MICE destination.
The consultation area was packed with visitors inquiring about event-hosting possibilities and specific terms, with the foundation saying the sessions were marked by intense interest throughout.
Choi Sung-hyun, chief executive of the Gangwon Tourism Foundation, said the briefing "once again confirmed how attractive Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's unrivaled pristine natural environment and advanced MICE infrastructure are to key stakeholders in the greater Seoul area." He added that the foundation aims to establish the province as "South Korea's premier MICE destination — the first choice for domestic academic associations and corporations — by combining the strengthened MICE facilities, including the Gangneung Convention Center set to be completed this year, with the foundation's differentiated support programs and close public-private cooperation."
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