Wednesday, 25 February 2015 / Published in News

World Trade Center Seoul named “Gangnam MICE Special Zone for Tourism”

World Trade Center Seoul named “Gangnam MICE Special Zone for Tourism”

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, February 17, 2015 – Seoul City has designated Seoul Gangnam-gu Samsung-dong World Trade Center (WTC) area, the center of Hallyu, business, culture, travel, shopping, exhibition and convention, as a “Gangnam MICE Special Zone for Tourism” to promote its travel and Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.

The designated zone includes three 5-star hotels, a department store, a duty-free store, casino, musical performance theatre, the world’s largest underground shopping mall with more than 200 retail shops and 91 food & beverage restaurants, aquarium, movie theatre, the Trade Center, ASEM Tower and the City Airport Terminal. In terms of space, it amounts to 19,386㎡, which is larger than 74 tennis courts, or almost 3 Olympic standard pitch soccer fields.

What is a “special zone for tourism”?

This is a region that has been designated by the City to reinforce tour-related services, to guide and attract more foreign tourists according to the Tourist Promotion Act. Once the heads of the Gangnam–gu District applied, the mayor approved and designated the area as a special zone for tourism.

As a way of encouraging tourists, Coex is going to increase culture and art spaces by cooperating with SM Entertainment, to make Hallyu celebs “Star Zone”. This will include opening a rooftop cinema, creating “Cinema Zone” utilizing the theater, making the road that connects ASEM Garden and Bongeun temple, the “healing road” and installing art pieces on the outer walls of Coex Artium and Trade Tower.

Coex is hosting many cultural and art related events within this “special zone for tourism” which will boost the global development strategy for all collaborating 13 partners in the WTC Seoul MICE Cluster. There are outdoor festivals featuring 4 seasonal themes: Summer Festival, Chrysanthemum Festival, Winter Festival, Autumn Festival, along with regular K-pop performances.

Coex is expected to be the representing destination of tourism with facilities related to the MICE industry. Seoul also recently revealed its plan to reinforce the Coex~Jamsil Sports Complex area to be the “International Exchange Complex” focused on international business affairs, MICE, sports and culture entertainment. It is expected to synergize with WTC’s designation as the special zone for tourism.

A new MICE lounge and information office, tax exemption opportunities, new Coex Mall, collaborative grand sales and accommodation offers and more, help make the WTC Seoul MICE Cluster an unbeatable destination for business guests. Coex will continue to grow as one of the best international exchange sites in the world with the recent designation of “Gangnam MICE Special Tourism Zone” with various infrastructures for travel and culture.