Daegu City Receives Title of 'International Conference Complex'

Pictured: EXCO Convention Center in Daegu (credit: KTO Photo Gallery)

Daegu’s EXCO Convention Center and surrounding areas have been selected as ‘International Conference Complex’ by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Located in the Southeastern region of Korea, Daegu is a center of tourism and culture with strengths in the textile, machinery, metal, and automotive industries. As one of Korea’s leading MICE destinations, the city has hosted numerous events related to cutting edge technologies and IT.

On April 20^th, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved an area of 102,000 m² surrounding EXCO Convention Center and Kyungpook National University, within the city of Daegu, as an international conference complex.

Daegu City recently participated in an international conference complex competition promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, under the name ‘Daegu Business MICE Town’. The plan established EXCO Convention Center as the base for the city’s MICE industry and Kyungpook National University as the base for fostering the local workforce. The proposal was well received by the judges for presenting a vision of developing the regional MICE industry and creating a local ecosystem.

In preparation for the competition, not only Daegu City, but local MICE related organizations such as Kyungpook National University, EXCO and Daegu Convention Bureau contributed and held a working council to sign a business agreement to continue mutual cooperation.

In particular, Daegu Convention Bureau, a dedicated organization for international conferences in Daegu, played an important role in promoting the submission for the international conference complex and coordinating opinions between involved organizations.

In 2001, Daegu became the first provincial region to establish an exhibition and convention center and went on to establish the first convention bureau in the country. The city continues to make efforts to develop its MICE infrastructure, with EXCO’s 2nd Exhibition Hall set to open in 2021.

Over the years, Daegu City has come to establish itself as an international conference city, successfully hosting and attracting large international conferences such as the 2013 World Energy Congress, the 2015 World Water Forum, 2019 IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, 2021 World Gas Conference and more.

With the new designation, Daegu City, which will receive benefits similar to a Special Tourist Zone, is expected to revitalize the local MICE industry, which has been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Lee Ki-Seok, Director of International Trade, Daegu City, said, “The designation of Daegu as an international conference complex is the result of Daegu City’s continuous efforts to foster the MICE industry so far, and this selection will serve as a catalyst for a second leap forward for Daegu’s MICE industry.”