Tourism Organization Launches Full-Scale Efforts to Attract Indian MICE Visiting Groups

Meeting of the India Incentive Korea Tourism Promotion Council Held

The Korea Tourism Organization is stepping up efforts to attract Indian corporate meetings and incentive travel groups to Korea.

Officials from India's HDFC Bank visited Korea last year for a corporate meeting and are taking photos at Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul.
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

On the 13th, the organization announced that it will hold a large-scale MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) roadshow in Mumbai Taj Hotel on April 25, aggressively promoting Korea as an incentive travel destination. About 150 participants, including Indian corporate officials, prominent local media, and travel agents, will attend.

Additionally, leveraging its New Delhi office and local networks, the organization plans to expand its marketing activities from the insurance sector in Mumbai to southern regions such as Chennai and Bengaluru, the centers of India's IT industry.

India surpassed China last year to become the most populous country in the world. Overseas travel expenditure this year is expected to reach $42 billion (approximately 56 trillion KRW), an 83.4% increase compared to $22.9 billion in 2019. The average length of stay for Indian tourists visiting Korea is 12.6 days, more than twice the average of 6.7 days for all foreign visitors to Korea.

The Korea Tourism Organization has been striving to redirect the demand for corporate meetings and incentive travel from Indian companies, which had been focused on neighboring Asian countries, to Korea, including participating in India's largest tourism fair, the Mumbai International Travel Fair, last February.

On the 7th, to target the Indian MICE market, the organization held the "India Incentive Travel to Korea Activation Council," sharing its business plans for the Indian market and listening to the voices of Indian MICE specialized travel agencies.

Santos Gupta, CEO of Dynasty Korea, suggested, "It is necessary to understand Indian dining habits, such as starting dinner after 9 PM, and their unique culture," adding, "Expanding air routes and resolving visa issues are also urgent and important matters."

Jung Chang-wook, head of the MICE division at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "Large-scale overseas travel support systems to strengthen company cohesion are well established in Indian corporate culture," and added, "We will continue to provide information and promote hotels and banquet venues capable of accommodating large groups, meeting the needs of Indian companies, and expand the attraction of incentive travel groups to Korea."

Meanwhile, about 200 members of the India chapter of YPO (Young Presidents' Organization), a global leadership community of approximately 34,000 CEOs from 140 countries, are scheduled to visit Korea from April 9 to 15 for various tourism activities, including exchange events with Korean companies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.