With the New Year well underway, the city of Seoul is in full gear celebrating its official roles as the designated World Design Capital 2010 and as the sponsor city for the inaugural year of the national tourism campaign Visit Korea 2010-2012.

The year is shaping up to be a busy one for the Seoul Tourism Organization as well. The official tourism marketing representative for Seoul, STO is celebrating the second anniversary of its February 2008 launch. To showcase the city’s international standard of excellence in hosting MICE events (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) staff members of the Seoul Convention Bureau, an STO division, are heading to Australia to exhibit at this year’s Asia-Pacific Incentive & Meetings Expo (AIME 2010) in Melbourne. The South Korean capital now ranks among the world’s most sought after convention destinations, with a proven track record for hosting international events.  AIME is the first of a total of 16 international events that Seoul is slated to participate in this year; while the city will welcome convention industry experts as hosts for the Korea MICE Expo in November.

Central to Seoul’s message this year will be an emphasis on design, eco-tourism and Korean cuisine.

As the World Design Capital 2010, Seoul continues to unveil edgy architecture and fashion forward design all year long. In selecting Seoul as this year’s WDC, the council of internationally acclaimed designers praised Seoul’s remarkable achievements in design-led social, economic and cultural development.  Past accomplishments and future dreams will be highlighted at the third annual Seoul Design Olympiad set for September 17 to October 7. The theme for 2010 is “Design for All”. In a nod to further acknowledge Seoul’s design triumphs, The New York Times placed Seoul third on their list of “31 Places to go in 2010”.

Green tourism is a high priority for the city and Seoul has ambitious plans to transform itself into both an environmentally friendly city and sustainable tourism destination. The United Nations World Tourism Organization has taken note of the Seoul’s impressive strides and is reviewing Seoul’s many successful eco-friendly urban initiatives. A cornerstone for tourism development, the Hangang River Renaissance Project is aimed at restoring the riverfront to a natural environment that can be enjoyed by all.

Building on the success of last year’s “Amazing Korean Table”, Korean cuisine is captivating the taste buds of gourmands and ordinary people alike. Seoul’s first gourmet food festival in November 2009 attracted celebrity chefs from around the world and sparked the globalization of Korea’s healthy unique cuisine. Plans are underway for the next event with the date to be revealed soon.  Meanwhile,

the restaurant review guide Zagat Survey released their first Seoul edition. Founders Tim and Nina Zagat praised Seoul for becoming an exciting world-class culinary destination and hoped their guidebook would serve to introduce Korean cuisine abroad.

What better way for Seoul to roll out the welcome mat for the “Visit Korea with Seoul 2010 campaign than by entertaining cinema celebrity’s or hosting heads of state?

The Seoul Convention Bureau is a division of the Seoul Tourism Organization, a joint public/private venture launched by the city of Seoul and private enterprise in February 2008 with a core mission to represent Seoul as a convention and tourism destination. 

For more information please contact Katie Kim at the Seoul Convention Bureau at 82-2-3788-0853 katie@seoulwelcome.com .