BUSAN, 27 November 2024: Busan Convention Bureau (BTO CVB) actively promoted Busan as a premier MICE destination at several major industry events, this year 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, 2024, 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.

For more information on Busan’s MICE opportunities https://www.busanmice.or.kr/en/main.do 

BUSAN, 27 November 2024: The 27^th IAVE World Volunteer Conference was held in Busan from October 22 to 25, 2024, under the theme “People Power”: Creating a Sustainable Future through Volunteering”.

The event brought together volunteers from 80 countries to highlight the importance and value of volunteer work. Divided into multiple sessions, the conference addressed key social issues such as climate change, education, and inequality, with participants sharing their experiences.

The 27^th International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) World Volunteer Conference underscored the importance and impact of volunteerism while fostering dialogues on how volunteer organizations can collaborate to address global challenges. As the host city, Busan provided a platform for networking in international volunteerism, affirming the value and social influence of volunteering on a global scale.

Busan and the Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) worked tirelessly to secure this prestigious event. After submitting its application to IAVE in November 2022, Busan collaborated closely with the Busan Metropolitan City Volunteer Center to showcase its merits as a potential host city. These efforts highlighted Busan’s capacity for hosting international events, its advanced tourism infrastructure, and its excellent accessibility. These advantages contributed to Busan’s official selection in March 2023 as the host city of the 27th IAVE World Volunteer Conference.

Sustainability was a major focus on the event. Building on similar initiatives at the 45th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research and the 37^th International Geological Congress, the BTO CVB set up a tourism promotion booth made from eco-friendly materials.

The announcement marked the beginning of over a year of dedicated preparation by Busan, the Busan Tourism Organization, and other stakeholders, culminating in a highly successful conference. Volunteers from across the globe set sustainable development targets during the event, which they continue to pursue. Building on this success, Busan is leveraging the momentum to further enhance the experiences of MICE event participants and establish itself as a hub for international collaboration and networking.

For more information on Busan’s MICE opportunities, https://www.busanmice.or.kr/en/main.do