Conference & Meetings World Supplements Seoul Supplement | Page 18
Seoul
Interview with Kim Byung-tae,
president and CEO of the
Seoul Tourism Organization
Tell us a little about your
background.
My introduction to tourism
actually began in the
80s when I saw there
was a lack of maps for
foreign visitors. Seeing
the need, I designed
the first trilingual map
in English, Chinese, and
Korean, which became
a best-seller, especially in
time for the 1988 Seoul
Summer Olympics. Since
then, I’ve had decades of
experience in the private
sector including serving as
CEO of BT&I, a major travel
management company.
My love of culture led me
to lead the classical music
academy Pung Wol Dang
and advise for the Kim
Chong Yung Museum.
In June I joined the Seoul
Tourism Organization (STO)
as its 4th President and CEO,
and the first from a private
sector background. I look
upon the role as a wonderful
opportunity to combine
all my past experiences
in helping to drive forward
Seoul’s tourism
profile, from leisure
travel to business
events and
beyond.
18
CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
What does the Seoul
Tourism Organization offer
for organisers planning a
meeting in the city?
STO offers a comprehensive
support programme to local
and international event
organisers at various levels.
We provide a full bidding
support clinic, including
professional training, to
bring meetings to Seoul.
During events, we provide
customised city tours,
airport baggage carousel
welcome messages,
welcome kits for delegates
and other services to help
create a memorable and
special experience for
delegates. Many events are
also eligible for assistance
from our Seoul MICE
Supporters- operational staff
trained by STO to provide
logistical help at local
events.
I am also proud of the
continually expanding
Seoul MICE Alliance
(SMA), a membership
organisation of 195 of Seoul’s
top accommodation,
convention centres,
entertainment venues,
travel agencies and other
industries that work with STO
to better assist organisers. The
alliance meets throughout
the year to continually
improve the services and
standards of the industry.
What are some of the
goals you would like to
achieve as leader of STO?
In the coming years, I would
like to expand our marketing
efforts and presence in longhaul markets, particularly
Europe, Australia, and the
Americas. We have already
begun efforts to extend our
network and raise awareness
of Seoul in those regions.
Here in Seoul, I would like
to increase the comfort of
visitors such as by adding
more foreign language
signage around the city,
improving informative
mobile applications,
creating intuitive guidebooks,
and organising a wide
variety of festivals throughout
the year.
On that last part, ideally
I envision Seoul having
a major festival or event
occurring every weekend
so that our visitors will have
plenty to see and do
throughout the year.
Autumn always brings with it
beautiful foliage, wonderful
for hiking opportunities.