Adventures in South Korea
By Rachel Kapur
August 2, 2016
August 2, 2016
When you think about Korea, many images come to mind… Technology, Beauty, Cuisine… But did you know that Korea is also one of the top five Union of International Association (UIA) Convention Destinations? F&D was invited on a tour through the country to experience and explore the reasons why South Korea is the perfect destination to host a meeting or convention. Our journey began in Seoul and continued through the cities of Busan, Changwan, Daegu and Incheon.
Seoul
The bustling capital of South Korea is home to lots of historical landmarks, a multitude of activities and plenty of 5-star properties including the recently opened Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. The hotel was opened in October 2015 and includes 317 luxurious guestrooms, a stunning ballroom and a rooftop garden terrace. This is the first Four Seasons in Korea and is the perfect location for hosting an event.
For event planners that are planning a more intimate gathering we suggest hosting an event at the luxurious Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul. The all-suite hotel has 50 stunning suites that have beautiful views of the city. It also features a rooftop bar/restaurant which is perfect for hosting an intimate cocktail party. The Crystal ballroom on the first floor is decorated with 20,000 pieces of Swarovski crystals and is perfect for an event hosting 300 guests.
For those seeking a larger venue for meetings and conferences the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a very unique venue and is home to Seoul Fashion Week. The building was designed by famous female architect Zaha Hadid. The DDP selected as one of the "Top 52 Places to Visit in 2015" by the New York Times and is definitely a unique place to host a conference or an event. The venue has numerous locations to host an event of any size including an Exhibition Hall.
Event Planners can be assured that there are plenty of group activities in Seoul including visiting popular attractions such the Myeong-dong shopping district, Hanok village and the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The DMZ Zone is another popular group activity where attendees can get a glimpse of North Korea and actually climb into a hidden tunnel.
For event planners that are planning a more intimate gathering we suggest hosting an event at the luxurious Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul. The all-suite hotel has 50 stunning suites that have beautiful views of the city. It also features a rooftop bar/restaurant which is perfect for hosting an intimate cocktail party. The Crystal ballroom on the first floor is decorated with 20,000 pieces of Swarovski crystals and is perfect for an event hosting 300 guests.
For those seeking a larger venue for meetings and conferences the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a very unique venue and is home to Seoul Fashion Week. The building was designed by famous female architect Zaha Hadid. The DDP selected as one of the "Top 52 Places to Visit in 2015" by the New York Times and is definitely a unique place to host a conference or an event. The venue has numerous locations to host an event of any size including an Exhibition Hall.
Event Planners can be assured that there are plenty of group activities in Seoul including visiting popular attractions such the Myeong-dong shopping district, Hanok village and the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The DMZ Zone is another popular group activity where attendees can get a glimpse of North Korea and actually climb into a hidden tunnel.
Incheon
Incheon is the second largest port city in South Korea and is less than an hour away from the capital city of Seoul. Overseas attendees can fly directly to Seoul Incheon International Airport from major cities across the US.
For large meeting and conventions in Incheon, the Songdo Convensia is the ideal location as it features over 54,000 square meters of exhibition space. The convention center is fifteen minutes from the airport and features five spacious floors that can host over 2000 attendees. The convention center has the capacity of holding 450 exhibition booths for various exhibitions. All meeting rooms are equipped with WIFI, voice-operated cameras, and LCD projectors.
There are six upscale hotels within walking distance from the convention center including the Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel which opened in 2008. It is the first non-smoking, Leeds certified in South Korea and has 321 guestrooms. The hotel also features ten meeting rooms, a banquet hall, outdoor event space and a large pool.
Group activities that event planners can arrange include a visit to the capital city of Seoul which is less than an hour away, a visit to Songdo Central Park which was modeled after NYC’s Central Park or a visit to the largest Chinatown in the country.
For large meeting and conventions in Incheon, the Songdo Convensia is the ideal location as it features over 54,000 square meters of exhibition space. The convention center is fifteen minutes from the airport and features five spacious floors that can host over 2000 attendees. The convention center has the capacity of holding 450 exhibition booths for various exhibitions. All meeting rooms are equipped with WIFI, voice-operated cameras, and LCD projectors.
There are six upscale hotels within walking distance from the convention center including the Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel which opened in 2008. It is the first non-smoking, Leeds certified in South Korea and has 321 guestrooms. The hotel also features ten meeting rooms, a banquet hall, outdoor event space and a large pool.
Group activities that event planners can arrange include a visit to the capital city of Seoul which is less than an hour away, a visit to Songdo Central Park which was modeled after NYC’s Central Park or a visit to the largest Chinatown in the country.
Busan
Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and the world's fifth busiest seaport by cargo tonnage. The city is 330 KM away from Seoul, which equates to a 5 hour drive or a 2.5 hour ride by KTX Express. The city also has an airport (Gimhae International Airport) where overseas attendees can fly into. The city is breathtaking with the largest beach in Korea and the longest river.
For large meeting and conventions in Busan, the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) is the ideal location. BEXCO is the second largest convention center in South Korea and features over 46,500 square meters of exhibition space. BEXCO also features 53 meeting rooms, and a stunning 4002 seat auditorium. BEXCO has held a variety of sizes of events such as concerts with international artists such as Michael Bolton as well as the 95th Lions Club International event that hosted 55,000 attendees. BEXCO also offers event planners exclusive access to two off-site venues including the Nurimaru APEC House (accommodates 150 attendees) where the APEC summit meeting took place and the Matrix Yacht (accommodates 70), which is perfect for a small cocktail party.
There are approximately 102 restaurants five minutes away from the convention zone and five 5-star hotel properties within 10 minutes of the convention center including The Westin Chosun, Busan which also does the catering for BEXCO and APEC House.
Group activities that event planners can arrange include a visit to the beautiful beaches, a cruise that has beautiful views of the Gwangandaegyo,(Diamond Bridge) and a visit to the world's largest department store (Shinsegae Centum City).
For large meeting and conventions in Busan, the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) is the ideal location. BEXCO is the second largest convention center in South Korea and features over 46,500 square meters of exhibition space. BEXCO also features 53 meeting rooms, and a stunning 4002 seat auditorium. BEXCO has held a variety of sizes of events such as concerts with international artists such as Michael Bolton as well as the 95th Lions Club International event that hosted 55,000 attendees. BEXCO also offers event planners exclusive access to two off-site venues including the Nurimaru APEC House (accommodates 150 attendees) where the APEC summit meeting took place and the Matrix Yacht (accommodates 70), which is perfect for a small cocktail party.
There are approximately 102 restaurants five minutes away from the convention zone and five 5-star hotel properties within 10 minutes of the convention center including The Westin Chosun, Busan which also does the catering for BEXCO and APEC House.
Group activities that event planners can arrange include a visit to the beautiful beaches, a cruise that has beautiful views of the Gwangandaegyo,(Diamond Bridge) and a visit to the world's largest department store (Shinsegae Centum City).
Changwon
Changwon is considered to be a business focused city due to the fact that many of the major Korean businesses have their headquarters located here including LG and Samsung. The city is very close to Busan and close to the Gimhae International Airport.
The Changwon Exhibition Convention Center (CECO), holds the title of being the first convention center in the country and was built in 2005. The convention center features to Exhibition Halls, three conference rooms and an outdoor plaza that is over 60,240 square feet. CECO is connected to a five-star hotel property (Pullman Ambassador Changwon), multiplex theaters, a food court, a shopping mall, and much more. Within ten minutes of CECO there are over 1000 hotel rooms, therefore this city is perfect for a large conference/convention.
Event Planners can be assured that there are plenty of group activities in this city including Kimchi Making, River Rafting and Paragliding. The city is also home to the Changwon International Shooting Range which is the largest shooting range in the country and an ideal location for a group activity.
The Changwon Exhibition Convention Center (CECO), holds the title of being the first convention center in the country and was built in 2005. The convention center features to Exhibition Halls, three conference rooms and an outdoor plaza that is over 60,240 square feet. CECO is connected to a five-star hotel property (Pullman Ambassador Changwon), multiplex theaters, a food court, a shopping mall, and much more. Within ten minutes of CECO there are over 1000 hotel rooms, therefore this city is perfect for a large conference/convention.
Event Planners can be assured that there are plenty of group activities in this city including Kimchi Making, River Rafting and Paragliding. The city is also home to the Changwon International Shooting Range which is the largest shooting range in the country and an ideal location for a group activity.
Daegu
Daegu is the third largest metropolitan area in Korea with over 2.5 million residents. Overseas attendees can fly into the Daegu International Airport or take a short 2.5 hour train ride from Seoul on the KTX Express. Daegu is considered to be the hottest city in the country (temperature wise) and is focused on being environmentally friendly.
The city is home to the first and only convention center that uses renewable energy. The EXCO (Daegu Exhibition & Convention Center) saves over $60,000 a year on electricity by using renewable energy installations throughout the convention center. Event Planners have plenty of event options in this stunning center which includes a fifth floor Sky Garden and a VIP Room which contains a Korean style garden. EXCO also has an auditorium that can accommodate 1500 attendees.
Group activities include a Kimchi Making Class, Face Mask Creation Class or a visit to the Seomun Market, which was one of the three main markets during the Joseon Dynasty.
South Korea has eleven convention centers located across the country that are capable of handling events of all sizes. The Korea MICE bureau can assist event planners with all aspects of planning including site inspections, marketing, communications and more.
The city is home to the first and only convention center that uses renewable energy. The EXCO (Daegu Exhibition & Convention Center) saves over $60,000 a year on electricity by using renewable energy installations throughout the convention center. Event Planners have plenty of event options in this stunning center which includes a fifth floor Sky Garden and a VIP Room which contains a Korean style garden. EXCO also has an auditorium that can accommodate 1500 attendees.
Group activities include a Kimchi Making Class, Face Mask Creation Class or a visit to the Seomun Market, which was one of the three main markets during the Joseon Dynasty.
South Korea has eleven convention centers located across the country that are capable of handling events of all sizes. The Korea MICE bureau can assist event planners with all aspects of planning including site inspections, marketing, communications and more.