Developing Suwon as a World Heritage City through International Events like Forums

by Lee YeongKyu

Published 17 Apr.2023 07:21(KST)

Suwon World Heritage City Forum

Gyeonggi Province is elevating three events, including the Suwon World Heritage City Forum, to international status.

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization announced on the 17th that, as a result of the '2023 Gyeonggi Province Regional Specialized Convention Discovery and Development Project' competition aimed at fostering conventions (international meetings and conferences) based on local industries into international events, three events including the Suwon World Heritage City Forum were finally selected.

Among the selected events, the Goyang International Destination Competitiveness Forum will be held from August 23 to 26 at the Sono Calm Hotel in Goyang. Now in its 7th year, this event will host the "Asia's first international conference related to MICE destinations (Destinations visited for MICE)." Approximately 660 participants from 35 countries, including professionals in global city marketing and the MICE industry, will attend. The main events include ▲International Destination Competitiveness Forum ▲Asia-Pacific Business Event Development Forum ▲Asia-Pacific Business Youth Challenge Competition.

The Suwon World Heritage City Forum will take place from September 11 to 12 at the Suwon Convention Center. Under the theme "Sustainable Utilization of World Heritage," international organization officials and experts from UNESCO, the World Heritage Cities Organization, and others will participate, covering diverse topics such as "World Heritage and Art, Film, People, Climate Change, and Peace." Alongside the forum, various programs such as a Haengnidan-gil pop-up store and World Heritage enjoyment tours are planned, with over 600 participants expected from 21 countries this year.

The Surface Technology Conference in Siheung will be held from November 9 to 10 at the Seoul National University Campus Convention Center in Siheung. Now in its 5th year, this event will gather 360 participants from 5 countries involved in the four industries of surface technology: coating, adhesion, plating, and film.

Choi Yong-hoon, Director of the Tourism Industry Division, stated, "It is highly meaningful that the regionally specialized conventions discovered through this competition, such as those in Goyang and Suwon, have grown into international events capable of advancing as K-Conventions." He emphasized, "We will continue to discover representative conventions in Gyeonggi Province and develop them into conventions representing South Korea."