Seoul has been selected as the host of the G-20 summit to be held in November 2010.

After Korea was named as a venue for the gathering of leaders from the world's 20 most advanced economies next year, Seoul, Incheon and Jeju all competed to host the international event.

Cheong Wa Dae (Office of the President - South Korea) spokesman Park Seon-gyu said the G-20 summit, the largest international event ever to be held in Korea, requires a large-scale convention center, accommodation and security, adding the government had no other choice but to make the best use of existing infrastructure with only 12 months left before the meeting.

"Seoul has many hotels and a convenient transportation network. Also, for security reasons, it is better prepared than other metropolises here. But gatherings of ministers and other government officials, as well as many sideline events, will be held in a number of cities," Park said.

Expected to attend are thirty-five heads of state, 10,000 participants and the leaders of major international organizations including the European Commission, the UN, the World Bank, the IMF and the Financial Stability Forum.

“Though there is no tangible plan or outcome as of yet, we are also in the process of negotiating with the G-20 committee,” said an official from the Grand Hyatt Hotel. “Considering that sales from conventions increased in the second half of last year as firms arranged meetings and events that they had previously delayed due to the economic crisis, we expect this year’s convention sales to increase, boosted by the upcoming G-20 event.”

The conventions and meetings industry in Korea has long lagged behind other developed nations. This high-profile meeting, however, could help change that.

For more information, visit Seoul Convention Bureau

Related Article:

| More...