Prevue November/December 2015 - (Page 56)

South Korea From temples to technology, the best of old and new world culture for groups [ON LOCATION] LANE NIESET W e're huddled together in the middle of December inside a tent, the warmth coming from the barbecue in the center. Suddenly, in comes tray after tray of meat, vegetables, prawns, and, of course, kimchi. It wouldn't be a Korean barbecue without the kimchi, or any Korean meal at all, we're told. It's my first night in Incheon, the third largest city in South Korea, located just one hour away from the capital, Seoul, and the group is getting the perfect introduction to Korean cuisine. What makes this scene even more interesting is that our tent is not out in nature in the mountains or in a forest; it's one of many tents at Songdo Jungle BBQ, a restaurant campsite surrounded by an urban environment of strip malls and office buildings. This is just one example of the mixture of modern and traditional activities groups can experience in Incheon. INCHEON: AN ECO-SMART MICE HAVEN As Korea's first port-which connected the country with Northeast Asia-Incheon is an international city and free economic zone. Strolling through the open port, visitors can see old Chinese and Japanese settlements and Korea's first modern market, Sinpo International Market, as well as new areas, like where we stayed in Songdo International Business District. 52 | prevue magazine Designed to be a "future city," numerous eye-catching venues, like Songdo's Tri-bowl, resembling a big bowl resting on water, anchor this area. Everything has been planned for convenience and sustainability, emphasizing the high-tech businesses that call Incheon home. "The city has also grown to be a green MICE city with stateof-the-art MICE infrastructures," explains Richard Suter, general manager at Sheraton Incheon Hotel, thanks to the Incheon Bridge, which connects the Incheon International Airport-ranked top in the world's best airport services-with the convention center, Songdo ConvensiA. After an international flight, it is convenient that Songdo is so close to the airport-just a 20-minute drive across the world's fifthlongest cable bridge. And once visitors arrive in Songdo, they can walk to most places in town in less than 10 minutes. Songdo ConvensiA, Korea's first LEED-certified green convention center, was built in 2008 and designed after the Taebaek Mountains, known as the "backbone" of Korea. Like the rest of this futuristic part of town, the convention center boasts high-tech facilities in an eco-friendly space. This past May, the center hosted UNESCO's World Education Forum 2015; an expansion to the center is set to be completed in 2017.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November/December 2015

Planner’s Pick: Salt Lake City
Bureau Buzz: Birmingham
Fresh Meets: Melia Hotels International
Good Business: Community Outreach at ASAE
Sea Shores: Crystal Cruises
Ode to Inspiration
ASIA & THE PACIFIC
AMERICA’S SOUTHEAST
SWEDEN
On Location: South Korea
On Location: Istanbul
USVI
LOS ANGELES
On Location: Panama
On Location: Scottsdale
Checkout: Kalahari Resort & Convention Center

Prevue November/December 2015