Korea welcomed 3,500 international employees of Shanghai-based multinational retail company WEINA Cosmetics Co. in December for corporate events and travel. The arrivals follow a successful bid to host the global group’s overseas incentive trip by the Korea MICE Bureau (KMB) division of the Korea Tourism Organization.
WEINA Cosmetics Co. is a Shanghai-based cosmetics company established in 2003 currently operating 11 branches throughout China, including Xi’an of Shaanxi Province and Qingdao of Shandong Province. The group’s employees arrived in Korea three groups between Dec. 12 and Dec. 19.
The celebration kicked off with a special welcome ceremony at Gangneung Curling Center. Participants enjoyed a range of Korean-themed cultural entertainment courtesy of the KMB, including performances by Gukak (Korean traditional music) B-boy group S-Flava and a musical gala show. The group also enjoyed an exclusive K-POP performance at Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang, featuring Hallyu star, Min Kyung-hoon.
Staying at a resort-style accommodation in Gangwon Province, employees visited popular attractions in Seoul and Gangwon Province over the six-day trip, including Jade Garden Natural Arboretum in Chuncheon, Ohjukheon, Gangneung Coffee Street, and Gangneung Curling Center, where the welcome ceremony was held.
KMB has been pushing to recover the Chinese incentive market this past year, promoting new, Hallyu-related contents as part of its program. The efforts have proved successful, with official figures for the number of Chinese incentive travelers to Korea in 2019 as of November estimated at 99,857, indicating an increase of 200% over that time last year.
According to Director of Corporate & Incentive Team Ik Soo Cheong, there has been very high satisfaction from Chinese incentive participants with performances by Hallyu stars.
“We will continue providing various Hallyu contents such as K-POP and K-Drama to attract even more meetings and incentive groups from multinational companies,” he says.
Under the Korea Tourism Organization, KMB aims to establish Korea as a top meeting and incentive travel destination. KMB serves as liaison to local convention bureaus, venues, PCO, and DMC to ensure an organized planning and successful execution of events. For more info, visit http://tong.visitkorea.or.kr
