Conventions and conferences return to Busan, with changes for the COVID era

BUSAN, KOREA, Dec. 10, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The current Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a blow to MICE industries around the world. Busan is moving to the forefront of online and hybrid MICE technology to meet the demands of conferencing in an ever-changing world.

The Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) declared that “Busan MICE Must Go On”, paraphrasing Queen’s song “The Show Must Go On”. BTO has worked tirelessly to make Busan a stable city in unstable times. Their message is that “Busan is safe” for successful meetings following Covid safety measures in an in-person, online or hybrid environment.

Busan Convention Bureau and Busan Event Organizers are ready for your next international event. Whether big or small, hybrid, in-person or fully online, Busan has the technology and stability to host. The traditional meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry may have changed. Still, Busan is ready to meet the new demands with the infrastructure and security needed to host such events.

How Busan works with Covid

Busan understands that there must be a stable environment for MICE, even during Covid.

The Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) recognizes the need for hybrid events that are both safe and supported. Even if only 10% of event attendees are in person, the conference will receive 100% venue support.

BTO has invested heavily in supporting online and offline meetings. MICE organizers don’t have to worry about hidden fees for safe conferences. BTO covers the cost of in-person safety measures like masks, hand sanitizers and thermal imaging cameras through financial grants. Busan also contributes to the costs of online events.
The Busan Convention Center was designed for videoconferencing. Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) has 10 MICE video conference rooms with support for studio video shooting, video conference transmission and digital marketing.

BEXCO can serve both the MICE industry as well as local businesses that need international video conferencing. The convention center offers state-of-the-art facilities to meet the growing demand for non-face-to-face MICE (online and hybrid). The Busan MICE Information Center, located in the BEXCO Auditorium, offers information, practical services, a meeting room with foreign language professionals and information on MICE tours.

Busan wants event organizers to feel confident in their decision to host their international event in Busan. They provide all events with financial, marketing, PR and accommodation support.

An easily accessible city

As an internationally acclaimed event city, Busan is easily accessible and offers many easy ways to get around.

Located in the heart of Northeast Asia, Busan tops many lists of travel destinations. The mix of sprawling waterfronts, towering buildings and ancient temples offer visitors to the city plenty to explore. Busan has all the conveniences of the metropolis that it is (population 3.4 million) with a more laid back atmosphere. With 2.7 million foreign tourists per year, Busan offers many activities to merge business and tourism. Busan has also made headlines with its many green and safety initiatives. The city has received Safe Cities certification two years in a row, which demonstrates the city’s commitment to implementing safety measures and continuously improving security infrastructure.

As a tourist destination, Busan was named the best travel destination in Asia by Lonely Planet in 2018. It is also the 10th favorite travel destination by Airbnb.

The city, located in the heart of Northeast Asia, is easily accessible by plane with many direct flights. Finnair has announced that it will launch a direct route from Helsinki to Busan in 2022. There are nearly 1200 transfer flights to Busan from your city to any major Asian city. Some travelers choose to fly to Seoul and then take a bullet train to Busan in less than three hours.

Public transport from the airport and into the city is fast and safe. Visitors landing at Gimhae International Airport are 40 minutes from the Busan Convention and Exhibition Center (BEXCO). There is also a convenient metro system to get from the airport to the venue or hotel.

Your event will be well received in Busan. There are 60,000 hotel rooms plus Airbnbs in the city. The inner core has over 15,000 rooms with plenty of 5 star and business class options. Two new hotels opened in 2021 and more are expected to open in 2022.

Korea is also spending a total of $150 billion over the next three years to increase tourism in Busan.

The convention center is centrally located to enjoy food, accommodation, shopping and sightseeing activities within a 10 minute drive.

Busan’s dynamic portfolio of international events

Busan’s efforts to host international conferences have not gone unnoticed. The city has hosted global events such as the World Diabetes Federation General Assembly and the ASEAN-Korea Memorial Summit.

2022 is shaping up to be a full year for Busan. Here are the major international conferences scheduled in the city.

● The 31st IAUGA (International Astronomical Union General Assembly) 2022 Busan
● International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter
● The 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7IMDC)
● CIMAC (International Combustion Engines Council) World Congress 2022
● APAA (Asian Patent Attorneys Association) Council Meeting 2022
● World Congress of FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations) 2022
● The 19th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery (WCES 2022)

BEXCO has 56 meeting rooms and a 46,500 square meter exhibition hall. A third auditorium is expected to open in 2023. BTO is proud to host events such as the 2022 APAA Council Meeting, meetings with FIATA, IAUGA (International Astronomical Union General Assembly) Busan 2022 and their other international conferences.

With the technology and Covid support that Busan offers leaders in the MICE industry, Busan looks forward to hosting even more international events in the future, in-person, hybrid and online.
Busan MICE must continue
Busan is a testament to constant improvement and the best experience for visitors under uncertain conditions.

Maru Kim
Busan Convention Bureau
+82 70-8633-2488
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