College students' MICE ideas to become real events as PCO association launches competition

A new competition will give university students a chance to see their MICE event concepts come to life in the real industry.

The Korea PCO Association announced it will hold the "2026 New MICE Event Idea Competition" to uncover ideas from undergraduate and graduate students who could shape the future of the MICE — meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions — industry, with applications open from Tuesday through Nov. 15.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, the competition aims to identify fresh convention-centered MICE event concepts and support the development of selected ideas into actual events. Any undergraduate or graduate student interested in developing new MICE events may enter by forming a team of at least two people.

The competition offers both open-topic and region-linked categories. This year, participants will design MICE events drawing on the signature industries and resources of three cities — Sejong, Suwon and Jeonju — based on themes proposed by the Sejong City Culture and Tourism Foundation, the Suwon Convention Bureau and the Jeonju Tourism Foundation. The association said it will support winning ideas through to actual event staging and commercialization, and last year's winning entries are already moving toward regional events — a sign that student ideas are increasingly being put into practice.

After an initial document screening, 10 finalist teams will advance to the final round, which will take the form of a pitching competition on Dec. 2 at the "2026 MICE IN Show" at Dragon City Seoul. The MICE IN Show brings together students and job seekers interested in the MICE sector, professional conference organizers and event hosts looking to develop new programs, giving student participants the chance to present their ideas before industry professionals and build connections.

All 10 finalists will be eligible for awards, including top prizes — the Korea Tourism Organization President's Award and the Korea PCO Association Chairman's Award — along with corporate-sponsored scholarships. Selected ideas will also be displayed at the venue.

"As local governments actively build convention centers and pursue international meetings, demand for region-specific MICE events is growing," a Korea PCO Association official said. "We plan to have PCOs and related organizations support teams at every stage — from mentoring to judging — so that students' creative ideas can translate into real regional events."

Meanwhile, the Korea PCO Association was founded in 2007 and brings together professional conference organizers — companies that specialize in convention planning and maintain dedicated staff and organizational structures — along with related institutions and businesses.