Seoul named top convention city

Seoul has been named the best convention city by a Singapore-based leading travel and convention magazine, TTG Asia Media, city officials said Thursday.

Korea’s capital, honored by the magazine with the renowned convention and a travel award as well, has outstripped Singapore, holder of the title for the past three straight years.

A survey of about 70,000 readers of TTG Asia Media, the leading travel and convention magazine in Singapore, found Seoul the best destination for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. Of the respondents, 49,000 selected Seoul as the No. 1 convention city. The poll was conducted online from June to August.

“Being named the best MICE destination by key agencies in convention means that Seoul’s image as a convention city has strengthened recently,” city officials said.

Most of the survey respondents were professional organizers in MICE industry and travel agencies.

The capital city satisfied all criteria in the survey ― best service and facilities designed for MICE, marketing strategy to attract meetings, attractive incentives and service for convention organizers and participants.

Seoul was also among the top five convention cities picked by the Union of International Association, a worldwide association of convention meetings, last June, which evaluated the capital highly for its hosting of 201 conventions in 2010.

The Seoul city government has stepped up efforts to develop convention business in the last four years, and succeeded in hosting the World Dermatology Congress in May.

“It’s a great honor to be named the best convention city. We will double our efforts to strengthen our image as the best convention city as well as expand convention and exhibition infrastructure and marketing activities,” said Ahn Seung-il, director of culture and travel at city government.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)