MADE in Korea (MIK 2012), a pioneering exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) showcasing products, services and technologies from South Korea, has announced that it is preparing a dedicated showcase of the widest selection of tourism destinations and value-added services in South Korea and in the Middle East.
While there are around 60,000 tourists from the Middle East who visit South Korea each year, the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) is aiming to increase the figure by over 66 per cent to reach 100,000 visitors by end of 2012, in line with the KTO’s ongoing ‘Visit Korea’ campaign. GCC countries are particularly important growth markets for South Korea’s tourism industry, led by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which witnessed a 52 per cent increase in tourists to Korea during the first six months of 2011 in comparison to the same period in 2010. UAE’s tourists to Korea also increased by 16.9 per cent during the same timeframe, while the number of Kuwaiti tourists in South Korea was up by 15.7 per cent.
MIK 2012, which will run from May 21 to 23, 2012, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has been widely anticipated as a key networking platform between Korean and Middle East businesses that want to capitalise on the strong bilateral relations and rapidly expanding economic cooperation between the two regions. Faisal Al Raisi, managing partner at Ideal Idea Events, organisers of MIK 2012, said: “Made in Korea 2012 is strongly committed to cultivate stronger ties among key stakeholders of the tourism industry in South Korea and the Middle East, while creating new channels of cooperation and interaction by providing a dedicated business-to-business networking platform for key players in the tourism industry. Moreover, in cooperation with senior tourism officials and leading travel companies, we have prepared the widest selection of holiday destinations and value-added tourism services that will surely help generate greater interest and consequently increase travel between the Middle East and South Korea.”
MIK 2012 will gather at least 300 high-profile Korean exhibitors from a wide range of industries including tourism, automotive, engineering, metal, hospitality, textile, electrical, chemicals, rubber and plastics, power, healthcare, ICT, media, construction, furniture, fashion and even sport. Representatives from Korean government agencies and regulatory authorities will also be present to meet with their counterparts from various Arab countries. Organisers also expect over 25,000 visitors during the three-day exhibition.