With the growth of MICE business, more destinations in Asia are vying for lucrative dollars. While Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand are likely to remain Asia's top destinations, some cities have attracted growing interest. These include Seoul in South Korea, Hanoi in Vietnam and China's Hainan Island.
Of the three, Seoul has taken an aggressive approach as the Korea National Tourism Organization and Seoul Tourism Organisation have tried to attract international events.
Seoul has five exhibition centres and 68 3-star to 5-star hotels. The Korea International Exhibition Center will complete a project to double its space this year, rising from 53,000 square metres to 104,000 square metres. In addition, Seoul Station Convention Centre will come online in 2014 and it is expected to be 50,000 square metres. Shilla Hotel Seoul is one of the top-tier properties specialising in corporate and government segments. Last year, overseas MICE volume accounted for 14 per cent of the Shilla's room nights compared with 13 per cent a year earlier.
Mina Lee, public relations associate manager, says: 'Our MICE clients include multinational companies, pharmaceutical, banking and finance. Overseas MICE traffic generates a lot of room nights for us and these contribute on room and banquet revenue.'
Elsewhere, Vietnam is a fast-growing exhibition market. Mark Cochrane, managing director of Business Strategies Group, says: 'Hanoi's MICE market should be looked at as one with potential, like a smaller-scale Bangkok. Although it is not the business centre of Vietnam, it has plenty of destination appeal for the MIC [meetings, incentives and conventions] part of MICE.'
Hanoi benefits from significant foreign investment and a stronger domestic economy. The Vietnam Exhibition Fair Centre is the only key venue but international hotel chains play a vital role to support MICE.