'Asia’s Top MICE City' Seoul to Welcome 1,400-Person Indian Incentive Group

Largest Group from India Since 2023 HDFC Bank Visit
Tourism and Cultural Experiences in Seoul... Boost to Local Economy
3rd in the World, 1st in Asia for UIA International Conferences
Incentive Tourists Spend 1.5 Times More than Regular Visitors

A mega incentive tour group of 1,400 people from India will be visiting Seoul. This is the largest group from India to visit Seoul since the 2023 Indian HDFC Bank incentive group, which totaled 3,257 people. The visitors are expected to enjoy tourism and cultural experiences in Seoul, helping to boost the local economy.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on August 18, an incentive tour group organized by the global nutrition company Herbalife will stay in Seoul from September 6 to 11. The city analyzed that Seoul's proven competitiveness in the MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions), as demonstrated by international conference statistics and global evaluations, has led to the tangible result of attracting such a large incentive group.

The HDFC Bank reward tour group from India visiting Seoul in 2023. Seoul City

According to the 2025 international conference statistics released by the Union of International Associations (UIA), Seoul ranked third in the world and first in Asia, with 216 conferences, maintaining its top position in Asia for a second consecutive year. Based on International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) data, Seoul ranked ninth globally in 2025, placing it within the world’s top 10 for the third year in a row.

The number of corporate meetings and incentive tour groups choosing Seoul as their destination is rapidly increasing. The city’s unique content—centered around Korean pop culture, wellness, and beauty—combined with world-class tourism convenience, continues to fuel demand for large group events. As of the end of July this year, the number of applications and approvals for corporate meetings and incentive tour support in Seoul increased by 36.3% compared to the previous year. The number of MICE events that utilized three or more paid SMA (Seoul MICE Alliance) member companies also grew by 82.4% year-on-year.

In particular, India is emerging as a new growth axis in Seoul’s MICE market. By the end of July this year, about 1,000 Indian incentive tourists had already visited Seoul, and in September alone, close to 2,000 group visitors—including the Herbalife incentive group—are scheduled to visit.

Incentive tourism is a representative high-value-added tourism industry, as group visitors tend to stay longer and spend more than general tourists. The average spending per incentive tourist is roughly 1.5 times that of regular international tourists. The Herbalife incentive group is expected to drive consumption across various sectors—including accommodation, shopping, gourmet dining, and cultural experiences—during their stay in Seoul. Their visit, with a group of 1,400, is anticipated to energize not only the tourism industry but also local businesses.

This visit is part of Herbalife’s incentive program to reward outstanding employees. While Georgia was initially considered the likely destination, two preliminary inspection trips in June and July led to the final selection of an itinerary centered on Seoul. The second inspection, held in July, saw the participation of the Seoul Tourism Organization, Seoul MICE Alliance member companies, and the Korea Tourism Organization, who showcased Seoul’s MICE infrastructure and tourism content in depth.

Cho Seongho, Director-General of Tourism and Sports at Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, “The visit of Herbalife’s Indian incentive group to Seoul demonstrates that our world-class MICE competitiveness is translating into the successful attraction of major groups. It shows that Seoul is being chosen not only as a destination for international conferences, but also as the world’s leading MICE destination, offering business, tourism, and cultural experiences all in one.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.