In 2024, the Busan Convention Bureau (BTO CVB) actively promoted Busan as a premier MICE destination at several major industry events, including ITB Asia 2024 in Singapore, IBTM World 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, and the “2024 Meet Busan in Thailand” event in Bangkok.

From October 23 to 25, the BTO CVB participated in ITB Asia 2024 in Singapore, promoting Busan as a MICE city to event organizers and visitors. ITB Asia is the largest tourism expo in the Asia-Pacific, attracting approximately 1,300 participants each year.At its promotional booth, the BTO CVB engaged in B2B consultations and networking, and it also created a “picnic zone” for event attendees, highlighting Busan’s appeal as a “bleisure” (business and leisure) destination.

IBTM World 2024, held from November 19 to 21, provided a valuable opportunity for the BTO CVB to showcase the city’s competitive advantages to Europe’s MICE industry. Recognized as one of the world’s largest MICE expos, IBTM World unites Europe’s MICE professionals under one roof. At the event, the BTO CVB, along with leading MICE companies from the city, operated a dedicated promotional booth, hosting B2B consultations to attract future MICE events to Busan. The team also engaged in strategic networking with key European MICE organizations, such as the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the Union of International Associations (UIA), gaining insights into the latest trends and securing new partnership opportunities.

From November 4 to 8, the BTO CVB hosted the “2024 Meet Busan” event in Thailand to promote Busan’s MICE industry and engage with Thai MICE buyers. Thai buyers engaged in group sales calls and B2B consultations with delegates from Busan, gaining valuable insights into the city’s premier MICE offerings and ESG initiatives. Leveraging Thailand’s Loy Krathong festival, the BTO CVB invited Thai visitors to make traditional Korean mood lamps and offered photo opportunities in traditional Korean attire. This productive visit gave members of Thailand’s MICE industry a deeper understanding of the extensive tourism and MICE resources Busan has to offer.

Throughout its participation in ITB Asia, IBTM World, and Meet Busan in Thailand, the BTO CVB consistently emphasized its commitment to sustainability by highlighting its green MICE initiatives and eco-friendly management based on ESG principles. Moving forward, the BTO CVB is dedicated to sharing its vision for sustainable MICE events with the world, as Busan aspires to play an increasingly prominent role in the global MICE industry.