Tailored programs for international conference and exhibition attendees offer three themed tour routes showcasing Daejeon's food, nature and history
Daejeon's MICE tourism initiative is drawing attention for encouraging domestic and international conference and exhibition attendees to venture beyond the venue and experience the city's food, culture and local attractions.
The program is designed to meet growing demand for "bleisure" — a blend of business and leisure travel — while extending visitors' stays and channeling spending into the local tourism economy.
Daejeon City, working with the Daejeon Tourism Organization, developed three themed tour routes drawing on the city's culinary, natural, historical and cultural assets. The routes are Taste Daejeon, a local bakery and traditional liquor tour; Refresh Daejeon, a recovery-focused outing along the Gyejoksan clay trail and Daecheong Lake; and Deep Daejeon, a century-spanning culture and art tour. Experiences range from baking workshops and traditional liquor tastings to nature walks and visits to historical and cultural sites such as the Soje-dong railway quarters village and the former South Chungcheong Province government building.
Support features for participants are equally distinctive. Dedicated vehicles connect the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) to tourist sites, and professional guides are available in both Korean and English. A 10,000-won ($7) reservation deposit is fully refunded through the Ontong Daejeon local currency platform upon arrival, encouraging spending at nearby businesses. During the peak event period in October and November, a shuttle bus service also links major transit hubs to the DCC.
The tourism program, which launched in October this year, has been tied to major events including the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology conference, the International Symposium on Architectural Interchange in Asia and the Daejeon International Wine Expo — helping transform what would otherwise be conference-only visits into extended stays with local tourism experiences.
Building on this year's results, Daejeon City plans to refine the tour routes and continue offering the program to attendees of international conferences scheduled through year-end, including the 9th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion.
"It is important that MICE participants attend their meetings and events while also experiencing Daejeon's appeal, so they become visitors who stay longer and spend in the local economy," said Kwon Gyeong-min, director of Daejeon City's Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. "We will continue to actively develop and support projects that link MICE infrastructure with local tourism resources, nurturing Daejeon into a leading MICE hub and an attractive tourist destination in South Korea."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
