Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), a quasi-public enterprise operating the foreigner-only Seven Luck Casino, has partnered with global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) company COEX to attract foreign tourists and revitalize the tourism and cultural industry.
On September 15, GKL President Yoon Doo-hyun and COEX President Cho Sang-hyun, along with executives from both companies, attended a signing ceremony at GKL's headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul, to formalize their collaboration.
The agreement aims to leverage the tourism and MICE infrastructure and networks of both organizations to provide diverse experiences for foreign tourists and contribute to the development of the tourism industry and local economy around COEX.
Under the agreement, the two parties will pursue initiatives including the development of tourism, MICE, and cultural programs for foreign tourists; joint marketing and promotions for international conferences and exhibitions; collaborative promotion and project discovery with members of the COEX MICE Cluster (CMC); and the exchange of information and joint research on trends in foreign tourist visits and spending.
Yoon Doo-hyun stated, "I hope this agreement lays the foundation for providing a more comprehensive tourism experience for foreign visitors. GKL aims to grow into Asia's leading urban tourism platform company through effective integration of surrounding tourism infrastructure and innovative marketing strategies."
Cho Sang-hyun remarked, "By combining COEX's MICE infrastructure with GKL's capabilities in attracting foreign tourists, we will create tangible results from our collaboration. We will also expand connections with CMC members and related organizations to develop the COEX area into a premier tourism and MICE hub."
The inbound tourism market in South Korea is experiencing unprecedented growth this year. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, over 12.8 million foreign tourists visited South Korea from January to July, a 21.3% increase compared to the same period last year.
Additionally, foreign card spending reached 12.86 trillion won, up 48.3% from last year's 8.15 trillion won.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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