President Min Min-hong of Incheon Tourism Organization (ITO).

The Incheon City Government and the Incheon Tourism Organization said on April 28 that they secured 580 million won in state funds by ranking first among local governments which participated in the 2021 International Conference Complex Competition to receive support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This competition has become a representative example of the importance of public-private cooperation, as officials from the Incheon Tourism and MICE Forum and Incheon MICE Alliance, as well as those working at international conference facilities in Incheon, banded together.

An international conference complex refers to an area with international conference facilities such as convention centers, accommodation and shopping centers.

In August 2018, Incheon designated a wide area including Songdo Convensia as a special area for international conferences and related businesses.

In order to revitalize the Songdo International Conference Complex in Incheon with a budget of 1.16 billion won, the Incheon City Government has decided to publicize the complex via domestic and foreign MICE media outlets.

It will give meeting technology support to international conferences and events, hold promotional events, develop human resources for the MICE industry and give financial support to boost quarantine activities for safer MICE events in the complex.

A virtual studio, a 3D online conference platform and a hologram theater were established in order to strengthen the position of the Songdo International Conference Complex as a next-generation MICE zone in line with the rapid development of online meeting and conference technology in March.

“We will make efforts to make the Songdo International Conference Complex a world-class MICE city by boosting its competitiveness in the international conference business through city brand marketing, establishing digital infrastructure in the New Normal Era and communicate with various people in the MICE industry,” said Park Chan-hoon, director of culture and tourism at the Incheon City Government.

The Incheon Baby & Kids Fair/2021 Incheon Educare Kids Fair ran at Songdo Convensia for four days with the participation of more than 100 related companies leading trends in infant education products, pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare products, with 320 booths from May 5 to 8. Special offers, abundant events and hands-on events were held for Children’s Day which is May 5 in Korea.

On May 5, a special event for Children’s Day was held to present children visiting the exhibition hall with Children’s Day gifts.

Moreover, pregnant women received gifts in a baby shower-like event. Children had fun at various exciting events such as children’s horseback riding experiences, toy block play and a kids’ gardening site and museum in Songdo Convensia during the fair period.

Another interesting point was a flea market. Visitors donated daily necessities (instant boiled rice, tuna cans, canned ham and ramen).

The donated daily necessities were delivered to neighbors in need including marginalized children in Incheon through food banks and food markets run by social welfare organizations in Incheon.

Executives and employees of the Incheon Tourism Organization also donated daily necessities to participate in the sharing event.

“As the Incheon Baby & Kids Fair/2021 Incheon Educare Kids Fair targeted families who want to have fun and learn something useful in May, the month of families in Korea, we were able to let them safely enjoy the fair by setting up a thorough and visitor-friendly quarantine system for the event,” said an official of the exhibition marketing team at the Incheon Tourism Organization.