Korea Tourism Organisation has appointed industry heavyweight Sang-weon Je (Steve) to drive MICE growth down under.

Korea Tourism Organisation director Sang Weon-Je

Korea, ranked fifth in the world for international meetings according to 2012 UAI statistics, has appointed Sang-weon Je (Steve) to the position of tourism director for Australia and New Zealand.

Je has twenty years of experience working with Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) and will lead the push to encourage more antipodeans to explore the extensive MICE options in South Korea.

Je said, “I look forward very much to meeting and working with the Australian and New Zealand tourism media and  related industry personnel over the next three years during my term here in Sydney”.

This appointment comes just in time for Je to participate in KTO’s stand at AIME 2014. The stand will feature women in traditional costumes welcoming buyers and offering them the chance to participate in traditional Korean fan making, try medicinal Korean green tea and snacks and have their photo taken in traditional Korean dress.

The Australian and New Zealand market to Korea has grown significantly in recent years with 123,560 Australians and 29,105 New Zealanders travelling to Korea in 2013.

The key driver in this trend is thought to be the increased interest in ‘K-culture’; K-Pop, Korean films and Korean celebrities.