Seoul, a beautiful bleisure destination filled with world-class MICE venues, amazing natural surroundings and iconic landmarks such as N Seoul Tower, Seoullo 7017, Nodeul Island, Hangang River, Some Sevit and more. In order to stay competitive in the global MICE industry, Seoul has introduced diverse aspects of Seoul MICE Industry’s transformation via a slogan of “Sustainable Transformation ON“ under 3 keywords, namely safety, digitalisation and eco-friendly.
Since August, Seoul Convention Bureau (SCB) has been promoting the 2021 #Sustainable_Transformation_ON campaign for the last 2 months through social media channels such as Instagram, highlighting recycling and the need for sustainability across all aspects of business events, together with Seoul MICE Alliance (SMA) members. Through the campaign, 35 SMA members managed to generate 95 posts and achieved 198,810 engagements, presenting their venues, services and business story that emphasis on the safety, digitalisation and eco-friendly to the potential partners and global society.
The 2021 #Sustainable_Transformation_ON campaign ended perfectly with full of synergy and motivation, conveying positive messages to global MICE society that the Seoul city is ready for any type of MICE events from on-site, online to hybrid events in the era of the prolonged pandemic. Let’s have a glimpse on the Seoul’s sustainable growth and its continuous supports towards the campaign’s messages, #Safety #Digitalization #Eco_friendly!
Safety
In this pandemic crisis, safety is MICE industry’s priority as everything the industry players do is geared towards hygiene and safety. 
Moving towards the secure era, Seoul MICE Industry is pulling all the levers to promote Seoul as a safe MICE destination for event planners to host their business events seamlessly under strict safety measures, with the support of PLUS SEOUL support programme. The PLUS SEOUL support designed to increase the safety and well being of the participants and speakers to the fullest. From the moment you step into Seoul, Seoul’s exclusive airtight protection for your safety is ON.
In cooperation with Seoul MICE Alliance members, SCB took the lead in promoting the Seoul MICE Safety Care Service, offering international MICE delegates reassurance with medical care, travel related and language services. Moreover, the venues for international conferences and exhibitions will be equipped with scheduled disinfecting services, personal sanitising materials and a disinfecting gate at the entrance, together with a manual and guideline poster on prevention of infectious disease and how to respond to the crisis.
In the new normal era, the Seoul MICE Industry is driven by its managerial and technological efforts toward safety, making Seoul definitely a safe MICE city for everyone! Now, you can be an active part of #Sustainable_Transformation_ON campaign in Seoul by using plastic gloves, sanitisers, temperature checking and QR code check-in when attending any event in Seoul.
Digitalisation
Seoul MICE Industry is transforming via digitalisation, ready for online business events. With cutting-edge digital equipment, Seoul is the ultimate destination for AR/VR exhibitions, online meeting platforms and more! In digital transformation era, convention centres and event venues have undergo digital transformation to accommodate hybrid and online events, as well as practice strict safety measure.
Convention centres had to remodel their convention halls and exhibition halls, mostly dedicated to on-site events, into studios capable of holding online events. On the other hand, hotels acquired new servers for online meetings, changed the interior to make it social media ready and retrofitted advanced facilities to accommodate various types of events with strict social distancing measures.
In response to the rapid digital transformation instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Coex upgraded its technology facilities and services to support hybrid and online events, as well as carved out new spaces to accommodate more multipurpose events. From the Coex Broadcast Studio and production services of Coex Live to its AR Portal service and XPACE screens, Coex’s in-house professionals trained to provide digital and hybrid solutions for any event and ready to leverage the power of Coex’s resources to optimise your event, whether it is on-site, hybrid or online.
Due to the high costs of adoption of meeting technology and lack of support for its activation and utilisation, SCB’s digital initiative is essential as a public organisation to narrow the digital gaps between industry players to promote digitalisation within the industry.
As online or hybrid event have already established their position in the MICE industry, SCB believed that it is important to advance the Virtual Seoul platform to take in all types of MICE events, as well as boost up the ease of use among SMA members.
Eco_friendly
For tomorrow’s sustainability, Seoul is taking eco-friendly steps forward as green transformation is an important value that worth pursuing. Seoul MICE Industry is helping business travellers contribute to green living during their stay in Seoul, including minimising the use of disposable goods, and increase the use of fair trade products, help local stake holders operate in more sustainable ways including event planning. In supporting sustainability, SMA members introduce new eco-friendly brands and diverse up-cycling products for everyone to try!
SMA members also took the initiative to prepare practical and convenient eco-friendly solutions such as bamboo hotel room keys, water bottles without label, eco-friendly packaging, vegan lunch box and more, offering everyone a sustainable business or leisure trip.
In long-standing commitment to innovation and corporate responsibility, Coex introduced its new Smart Green Card service and offers numerous green facilities including digital signage named XPACE, urban green spaces, electric vehicle charging station and more for visitors and event planners. In addition, Coex and the Seoul Tourism Organization signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently to encourage the smart green MICE industry and promote environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) management.
In supporting the #Sustainable_Transformation_On campaign, Nodeul Island conducted a Greennodeul campaign, which is an eco-friendly campaign that emphasise on less usage of plastic items in nodeulseom and encourages to practise earth-friendly habits, such as getting a drink order with tumbler without disposable plastic straw, food takeaway with reusable boxes or using handkerchief instead of wipes. Nodeul Island is an uninhabited artificial island in the middle of Han River that offers eco-friendly conference and complex facilities for international or business meetings and welcome receptions.
If you are thinking of exploring Seoul in eco-friendly ways, you can discover WeRide’s story to experience Seoul as never before. WeRide offers Seoul’s newest sustainable activities and eco-friendly programmes for individual traveller, corporate groups and MICE delegates, including e-bike riding, individual bicycle excursion, bicycle docent tour and more. In ensuring everyone will be taken care with a personal touch, WeRide can take in groups range from 1 to 300 people at one time with their licensed guides.
Seoullo 7017, an impressive landmark of Seoul, has been transformed into first pedestrian-only urban sky park from an abandoned elevated highway in the middle of Seoul. This magnificent urban retreat is dotted with observatories and art installations which give a fresh perspective to the Seoul experience, as well as cafes, restaurants, exhibition centre, and performance stages. An hour long Seoullo 7017 walking experience enables visitors to witness the blend of the natural and urban of the city, with stunning views of the Seoul skyline had among extensive gardens of approximately 24,000 homegrown plants arranged according to the Korea alphabets.
Elevate your business trip in Seoul with world class conventions, eco-friendly team-building activities and informative industrial tours, as well as be an active part of #Sustainable_Transformation_ON under strict safety measures.
More information available at www.miceseoul.com.