Local News

This April, Fukuoka City will open a MICE Bureau inside the Fukuoka Convention and Visitors Bureau in an effort to attract more internal conferences and trade fairs. MICE stands for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Last June, Fukuoka was one of five cities selected for Tourism Agency funding to promote efforts to attract international conferences. In 2012, the city hosted 252 international conferences, the most of any designated city in Japan, but the overseas research and sales capacities of the Convention Bureau were insufficient. City Hall decided to open the new MICE Bureau to bolster these efforts. The MICE Bureau will have a staff of around 20, including employees seconded from local tourism companies. The City is also recruiting two new staff members to handle sales.Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 3/14

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