[On-Site] “MICE Trends Completely Changed with the ‘Endemic’... Got a Hint from GDW”
The 7th Goyang Destination Week 2023 (GDW 2023)
780 online and offline participants from 39 countries, including Australia and Japan
Presented practical solutions for all areas of MICE in various topics
“The MICE market trends are rapidly changing with the beginning of the endemic (the post-pandemic), and this event gave us valuable hints on where to focus our efforts.”
A regional DMO representative attending this year’s 7th Goyang Destination Week (GDW 2023) shared his thoughts with excitement while watching the International Destination Competitiveness Forum (IDCF 2023), GDW's flagship conference.
▲2023 Goyang Destination Week Opening Ceremony
After three turbulent years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic and international MICE industry has faced another major change this year with the transition into the endemic era. MICE industry professionals were at a loss as to how to solve the new challenges, such as choosing and focusing on online versus offline venues, losing key personnel and discovering excellent talent, redefining the economic impact of the MICE industry, and handling the changes in the global market.
In the face of such challenges, GDW 2023, an urban marketing global event hosted by Goyang Special City (Mayor Donghwan Lee) and organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, has positively shocked the domestic and foreign MICE industry professionals and provided them with practical solutions.
Held from August 22nd to 26th at Sono Calm Goyang Hotel and in other areas of Goyang City, GDW 2023 was a great success, attracting 781 participants (157 were foreigners) from 39 countries around the world. The live-streaming service allowed 191 online and 590 offline participants to join. Forty-eight prominent domestic and international MICE industry figures spoke at the event and explored various solutions in the endemic era. “Return of MICE,” the overall theme of the event, was fiercely debated by speakers and attendees throughout the event.
They participated in different events every day (26 programs in total) to celebrate the return of MICE and held deep discussions and debates. So, what was it about the GDW 2023 events that got MICE professionals worldwide so excited? Here is a recap of the five-day journey.
Day 1 (August 22) was when the Goyang citizens were at the center stage of GDW 2023. The Goyang MICE Day, hosted and organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, was designed to increase people’s understanding of the MICE industry, in which Goyang strategically specializes. The event trained 130 Goyang citizens on the MICE industry and offered a tour of KINTEX, Goyang’s major exhibition and convention center. The participants were divided into the morning and afternoon groups for effective training and visits.
Day 2 (August 23) was the final round of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Business Events Youth Challenge, co-organized by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the Korea MICE Association. This competition is for young people aged 30 and under in the Asia-Pacific region to submit creative ideas related to the MICE industry. From the preliminary round, 50 teams from 10 countries competed fiercely against each other, of which 8 teams from 5 countries made it to the finals and gave presentations.
After an impartial judging by MICE experts worldwide, the Australian team “Juniper and Meixner Consulting” claimed the crown of the winner! Second place went to a team from Sri Lanka, “Peralikarayo,” and third place to a Malaysian team, “Phoenix Reborn.” The top two teams are invited to attend the International Congress and Convention Association’s annual assembly (ICCA Congress), which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, this November. The evening after the awards ceremony, youth MICE supporters from all over the country and S.O.M., the national university student MICE union club, came together to exchange with the contest participants.
On Day 3 (August 24), the opening ceremony and the International Destination Competitiveness Forum (IDCF 2023), GDW’s main conference, took place. The opening ceremony included a congratulatory performance by Noreummachi, Goyang’s representative traditional theatrical troupe, followed by an opening address from Goyang Special City Mayor Donghwan Lee, welcoming speech from GDW 2023 Organizing Committee Chair Eunju Yoon, and congratulatory remarks from Goyang Special City Council Chairperson Yeongsik Kim.
During the following awards ceremony, Mayor Donghwan Lee presented GDW 2022 Organizing Committee Chairman Byungro Seo and the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) Asia-Pacific President Waikin Wong with Distinguished Service Awards for their contributions to GDW. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, presented a plaque of appreciation to Mayor Lee to recognize the successful event.
The first keynote of IDCF 2023 was presented by ICCA's CEO Senthil Gopinath, who visited Korea for the first time for GDW. He spoke on “Glorious Resurgence - The Potential Power of Global Business Events.” He emphasized that “the MICE industry has regained vitality and can be further revitalized by connecting stakeholders from various sectors.“ The participants included Heegon Hwang, the Chairman of the Gyeongnam Tourism Organization, Jaewon Ryu, President of the KINTEX Business Department, and Peter King, President of the Australian Business Events Association.
▲"2023 Goyang Destination Week" on-site.Eunseong Lee, a professor at Dongduk Women's University, is conducting <Session 1-MICE Industry Human Resources Resolution - Talent Acquisition and Securing>.
Session 1 that followed was led by Avinash Chandarana, Director of Global Education at MCI Group, with the topic of "MICE Industry Talent Solutions - Talent Retention and Acquisition." He raised the issue of MICE talent outflow during the endemic era, arguing that adequate compensation and a good working environment are essential to stop the outflow. The panel discussion was moderated by Professor Eunseong Lee of Dongdeok Women's University and heatedly debated by panelists Hong-guk Ha, Secretary General of the Korea MICE Association, Heeyoung Kim, Vice President of the Korean Association of Professional Convention Organizers, Taeyeon Kim, CEO of MICE Staff, and Juyoung Park, a Goyang Youth MICE supporter.
Session 2 was on "Passion Creates Legacy" by Amelia Roziman, CEO of Sarawak Convention Bureau. There is no need to explain the importance of legacy, right? She presented a case study centered on Sarawak's MICE legacy project. The keynote was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Professor Yusik Yoon of Kyunghee University with panelists Youngcheol Bae, CEO of Daegu Convention Bureau, Misung Kim, Research Professor at Kyunghee University, Jane Vong Holmes, Executive Director of GainingEdge, and Dongsuk Sohn, Chairman of the Environmental Economy Committee of the Goyang Special City Council.
In the afternoon, Keynote Lecture 2 was delivered by Jean-Claude Larreche, Distinguished Professor of Marketing at INSEAD, on "Future Growth Strategies for Cities - Value-Centered Marketing." He emphasized that cities must constantly create value to continue growing, which requires understanding and fulfilling customer needs. The lecture was followed by a lively discussion led by Yonsei University Professor Ducheol Moon, with Andres Guiral as his collocutor.
For Session 3, Clara Fernandez Lopez, External Affairs Director at the Union of International Associations (UIA), joined online to analyze the post-pandemic trends in association and conference meetings under the theme of "Global Trends in Association and Conference Meetings." The following discussion was moderated by Byeongro Seo, professor at Konkuk University, with panelists Hyoyeon Park, professor at Chonnam National University, Seongeun Jeong, CEO of IDO Planning, Taehwan Kim, Vice Chair of the Korea Industry Intelligentization Association, Miso Kim, CEO of ROUTE COMPANY, and Sunmi Jin, secretary general of the Korean Association of Professional Convention Organizers.
Held online, Session 4 was called "MICE is Business." Presenter of this session, Martha Sheridan, CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, said that the entire U.S. is already feeling the ripple effect of the MICE industry and introduced various efforts to expand the MICE industry in the Greater Boston area. The panel discussion that followed included Hongseok Jin, Chairman of the Korea MICE Convergence Leaders Forum (moderator), Hwabong Lee, professor at Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Jeongmi Sohn, Director of MICE IMPACT, and Songhee Ma, CEO of Pines Communications.
The Goyang Session was introduced for the first time this year as a special session to build on GDW’s legacy. In the session, the results of the research project “Sustainable CVB Models” were presented, which was pre-commissioned to global MICE consulting firm GainingEdge and US law firm CIVITAS. Gary Grimmer, Chairman of GainingEdge, used Goyang as an example to propose competitiveness as a MICE city, improvement measures, and a model for securing financial resources for the sustainability of domestic convention bureaus. The details will be released in the final report and uploaded on the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau website for anyone to download. We ask for your interest in the report!
On Day 4 (August 25), the “ICCA Asia-Pacific Business Development Forum” was held, which was co-organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The forum consisted of several training sessions and business networking with over 150 participants from ICCA’s Asia-Pacific members and domestic MICE stakeholders. International associations and companies based in Korea also participated as buyers and conducted active B2B consultations with convention bureaus and venues of each nation.
Held on the fifth and final day (August 26), the tourism program for overseas participants consisted of a visit to the DMZ and a Korean cultural experience. During the DMZ visit, participants rode the Imjingak Peace Gondola and visited Gallery Greaves over the Imjin River to view the Armistice Agreement. Afterward, they visited the Haechansonghak Laver Museum in Goyang City, where they made gimbap, tried on hanbok, and ate Korean food to experience Korean culture.
Sangyeol Lee, Director General of Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, congratulated the successful conclusion of GDW 2023, saying, “GDW 2023 could grow quantitatively and qualitatively as a MICE week event by introducing programs for citizens, holding simultaneous sessions, and extending the event period (from 4 to 5 days). We will continue to promote Goyang as a MICE city at home and abroad and strengthen the foundations to improve the city’s MICE competitiveness.” We look forward to seeing how GDW 2024 in Goyang will evolve next year! Everyone, see you next year! Bye!👋👋
[On-Site] “MICE Trends Completely Changed with the ‘Endemic’... Got a Hint from GDW”
“The MICE market trends are rapidly changing with the beginning of the endemic (the post-pandemic), and this event gave us valuable hints on where to focus our efforts.”
A regional DMO representative attending this year’s 7th Goyang Destination Week (GDW 2023) shared his thoughts with excitement while watching the International Destination Competitiveness Forum (IDCF 2023), GDW's flagship conference.
▲2023 Goyang Destination Week Opening Ceremony
After three turbulent years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic and international MICE industry has faced another major change this year with the transition into the endemic era. MICE industry professionals were at a loss as to how to solve the new challenges, such as choosing and focusing on online versus offline venues, losing key personnel and discovering excellent talent, redefining the economic impact of the MICE industry, and handling the changes in the global market.
In the face of such challenges, GDW 2023, an urban marketing global event hosted by Goyang Special City (Mayor Donghwan Lee) and organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, has positively shocked the domestic and foreign MICE industry professionals and provided them with practical solutions.
Held from August 22nd to 26th at Sono Calm Goyang Hotel and in other areas of Goyang City, GDW 2023 was a great success, attracting 781 participants (157 were foreigners) from 39 countries around the world. The live-streaming service allowed 191 online and 590 offline participants to join. Forty-eight prominent domestic and international MICE industry figures spoke at the event and explored various solutions in the endemic era. “Return of MICE,” the overall theme of the event, was fiercely debated by speakers and attendees throughout the event.
They participated in different events every day (26 programs in total) to celebrate the return of MICE and held deep discussions and debates. So, what was it about the GDW 2023 events that got MICE professionals worldwide so excited? Here is a recap of the five-day journey.
Day 1 (August 22) was when the Goyang citizens were at the center stage of GDW 2023. The Goyang MICE Day, hosted and organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, was designed to increase people’s understanding of the MICE industry, in which Goyang strategically specializes. The event trained 130 Goyang citizens on the MICE industry and offered a tour of KINTEX, Goyang’s major exhibition and convention center. The participants were divided into the morning and afternoon groups for effective training and visits.
Day 2 (August 23) was the final round of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Business Events Youth Challenge, co-organized by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the Korea MICE Association. This competition is for young people aged 30 and under in the Asia-Pacific region to submit creative ideas related to the MICE industry. From the preliminary round, 50 teams from 10 countries competed fiercely against each other, of which 8 teams from 5 countries made it to the finals and gave presentations.
After an impartial judging by MICE experts worldwide, the Australian team “Juniper and Meixner Consulting” claimed the crown of the winner! Second place went to a team from Sri Lanka, “Peralikarayo,” and third place to a Malaysian team, “Phoenix Reborn.” The top two teams are invited to attend the International Congress and Convention Association’s annual assembly (ICCA Congress), which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, this November. The evening after the awards ceremony, youth MICE supporters from all over the country and S.O.M., the national university student MICE union club, came together to exchange with the contest participants.
On Day 3 (August 24), the opening ceremony and the International Destination Competitiveness Forum (IDCF 2023), GDW’s main conference, took place. The opening ceremony included a congratulatory performance by Noreummachi, Goyang’s representative traditional theatrical troupe, followed by an opening address from Goyang Special City Mayor Donghwan Lee, welcoming speech from GDW 2023 Organizing Committee Chair Eunju Yoon, and congratulatory remarks from Goyang Special City Council Chairperson Yeongsik Kim.
During the following awards ceremony, Mayor Donghwan Lee presented GDW 2022 Organizing Committee Chairman Byungro Seo and the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) Asia-Pacific President Waikin Wong with Distinguished Service Awards for their contributions to GDW. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, presented a plaque of appreciation to Mayor Lee to recognize the successful event.
The first keynote of IDCF 2023 was presented by ICCA's CEO Senthil Gopinath, who visited Korea for the first time for GDW. He spoke on “Glorious Resurgence - The Potential Power of Global Business Events.” He emphasized that “the MICE industry has regained vitality and can be further revitalized by connecting stakeholders from various sectors.“ The participants included Heegon Hwang, the Chairman of the Gyeongnam Tourism Organization, Jaewon Ryu, President of the KINTEX Business Department, and Peter King, President of the Australian Business Events Association.
▲"2023 Goyang Destination Week" on-site.Eunseong Lee, a professor at Dongduk Women's University, is conducting <Session 1-MICE Industry Human Resources Resolution - Talent Acquisition and Securing>.
Session 1 that followed was led by Avinash Chandarana, Director of Global Education at MCI Group, with the topic of "MICE Industry Talent Solutions - Talent Retention and Acquisition." He raised the issue of MICE talent outflow during the endemic era, arguing that adequate compensation and a good working environment are essential to stop the outflow. The panel discussion was moderated by Professor Eunseong Lee of Dongdeok Women's University and heatedly debated by panelists Hong-guk Ha, Secretary General of the Korea MICE Association, Heeyoung Kim, Vice President of the Korean Association of Professional Convention Organizers, Taeyeon Kim, CEO of MICE Staff, and Juyoung Park, a Goyang Youth MICE supporter.
Session 2 was on "Passion Creates Legacy" by Amelia Roziman, CEO of Sarawak Convention Bureau. There is no need to explain the importance of legacy, right? She presented a case study centered on Sarawak's MICE legacy project. The keynote was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Professor Yusik Yoon of Kyunghee University with panelists Youngcheol Bae, CEO of Daegu Convention Bureau, Misung Kim, Research Professor at Kyunghee University, Jane Vong Holmes, Executive Director of GainingEdge, and Dongsuk Sohn, Chairman of the Environmental Economy Committee of the Goyang Special City Council.
In the afternoon, Keynote Lecture 2 was delivered by Jean-Claude Larreche, Distinguished Professor of Marketing at INSEAD, on "Future Growth Strategies for Cities - Value-Centered Marketing." He emphasized that cities must constantly create value to continue growing, which requires understanding and fulfilling customer needs. The lecture was followed by a lively discussion led by Yonsei University Professor Ducheol Moon, with Andres Guiral as his collocutor.
For Session 3, Clara Fernandez Lopez, External Affairs Director at the Union of International Associations (UIA), joined online to analyze the post-pandemic trends in association and conference meetings under the theme of "Global Trends in Association and Conference Meetings." The following discussion was moderated by Byeongro Seo, professor at Konkuk University, with panelists Hyoyeon Park, professor at Chonnam National University, Seongeun Jeong, CEO of IDO Planning, Taehwan Kim, Vice Chair of the Korea Industry Intelligentization Association, Miso Kim, CEO of ROUTE COMPANY, and Sunmi Jin, secretary general of the Korean Association of Professional Convention Organizers.
Held online, Session 4 was called "MICE is Business." Presenter of this session, Martha Sheridan, CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, said that the entire U.S. is already feeling the ripple effect of the MICE industry and introduced various efforts to expand the MICE industry in the Greater Boston area. The panel discussion that followed included Hongseok Jin, Chairman of the Korea MICE Convergence Leaders Forum (moderator), Hwabong Lee, professor at Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Jeongmi Sohn, Director of MICE IMPACT, and Songhee Ma, CEO of Pines Communications.
The Goyang Session was introduced for the first time this year as a special session to build on GDW’s legacy. In the session, the results of the research project “Sustainable CVB Models” were presented, which was pre-commissioned to global MICE consulting firm GainingEdge and US law firm CIVITAS. Gary Grimmer, Chairman of GainingEdge, used Goyang as an example to propose competitiveness as a MICE city, improvement measures, and a model for securing financial resources for the sustainability of domestic convention bureaus. The details will be released in the final report and uploaded on the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau website for anyone to download. We ask for your interest in the report!
On Day 4 (August 25), the “ICCA Asia-Pacific Business Development Forum” was held, which was co-organized by the Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The forum consisted of several training sessions and business networking with over 150 participants from ICCA’s Asia-Pacific members and domestic MICE stakeholders. International associations and companies based in Korea also participated as buyers and conducted active B2B consultations with convention bureaus and venues of each nation.
Held on the fifth and final day (August 26), the tourism program for overseas participants consisted of a visit to the DMZ and a Korean cultural experience. During the DMZ visit, participants rode the Imjingak Peace Gondola and visited Gallery Greaves over the Imjin River to view the Armistice Agreement. Afterward, they visited the Haechansonghak Laver Museum in Goyang City, where they made gimbap, tried on hanbok, and ate Korean food to experience Korean culture.
Sangyeol Lee, Director General of Goyang Convention & Visitors Bureau, congratulated the successful conclusion of GDW 2023, saying, “GDW 2023 could grow quantitatively and qualitatively as a MICE week event by introducing programs for citizens, holding simultaneous sessions, and extending the event period (from 4 to 5 days). We will continue to promote Goyang as a MICE city at home and abroad and strengthen the foundations to improve the city’s MICE competitiveness.” We look forward to seeing how GDW 2024 in Goyang will evolve next year! Everyone, see you next year! Bye!👋👋