Shin Sang-jin, the mayor of Seongnam, expressed his commitment on September 28 to "capture two birds with one stone" by enhancing the city's competitiveness and local economy through the MICE industry.
Mayor Shin held a final report meeting on the "Future Strategy and Impact Analysis Study for Seongnam's MICE Industry" on September 18 at the city hall's Sanseong Nuri Room, where he shared the research findings and future development directions.
The mayor is set to actively promote the MICE industry, centered around the Baekhyeon MICE Convention Center, by linking businesses, tourism, culture, accommodation, and dining throughout the city.
The study presented a vision of becoming "the number one business event city in South Korea leading global innovation" and identified six core values: Enterprise, Network, Growth, Innovation, Nexus, and Effect.
Based on this, Mayor Shin proposed a future strategy called "Seongnam's Business Engine (E.N.G.I.N.E.)" aimed at converting connections into results.
Notably, he emphasized the need to move beyond traditional performance indicators based solely on the number of events and participants, establishing criteria to evaluate the MICE industry's impact on local businesses, industrial growth, tourism, accommodation, dining, and Seongnam's global city recognition.
Mayor Shin plans to discover differentiated MICE content linked to local companies, such as those in Pangyo Techno Valley, and to foster region-specific MICE events to expand the overall impact on the industry.
This initiative aligns with the city's direction to enhance Seongnam's competitiveness based on advanced companies and industrial infrastructure while promoting business attraction and revitalizing the local economy.
Through MICE events, the mayor aims to encourage visiting businesspeople and tourists to utilize local accommodations, restaurants, and cultural facilities, establishing a virtuous cycle where the benefits of hosting events flow back into the local economy.
Citizens have also shown interest in ensuring that the MICE industry does not merely focus on attracting large-scale events but also contributes to revitalizing the local economy.
There is a strong sentiment that the connection between Pangyo's advanced industries and Baekhyeon MICE should attract domestic and international businesses and visitors, providing tangible support to local commercial areas and small businesses.
Meanwhile, Mayor Shin Sang-jin stated, "MICE is not just about renting space; it is a platform that connects people and businesses to create new value."
He added, "Based on the future strategy and performance indicators derived from this study, we will solidify the foundation of Seongnam's MICE industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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