Kaohsiung eyes robust MICE industry growth

Kaohsiung Exhibition Center is positioning the southern Taiwan port city as a major hub for the regional meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions market, according to KEC Chairman Michael Tu Aug. 6.

“The NT$3 billion (US$99.9 million) venue, one of the i-Taiwan 12 infrastructure projects, has delivered results exceeding our original projections,” Tu said. “Since the staging of its inaugural event April 14, KEC has hosted nine trade fairs and 27 conferences, attracting more than 500,000 visitors.”

These events include Taiwan Connects, an international fastener show, as well as the first Taiwan International Boat Show, which created output of NT$4.2 billion during its four-day run in May.

“A series of exhibitions and shows is already lined up for the 4.5-hecatre center,” Tu said. “Boosted by such prominent events as the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC) congress, full-year attendance is expected to reach 820,000 in 2014.”

At the same time, facility utilization rate was revised upward to 16 percent from 7 percent this year, he said, adding that this figure is expected to see exponential growth in 2015 with the introduction of new events.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, 1.07 million visitors are projected to pass through KEC doors in 2015, spurring direct and indirect industry output of NT$455 million and NT$4 billion, respectively, while creating more than 2,000 jobs.

Capitalizing on its prime location in the Asia-Pacific sea lanes, Kaohsiung is making considerable headway in the MICE sector. Such a development is expected to create sizeable benefits for the local economy, driving growth in tourism and peripheral industries.

Given KEC's busy calendar, Kaohsiung is set to join Taipei City in leading Taiwan's charge to become a global MICE hub, the MOEA said. (YHC-JSM)