According to recent statistics and rankings by the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO), Fukuoka City was, once again, ranked second in Japan with a total of 252 meetings.
The city has captured this position for the last 4 consecutive years. In addition, the number of participants from international conventions held in the city increased by 80,000 from the previous year, amounting to the largest number of 171,049 in total.
Among other things, Fukuoka’s success can be partly attributed to its “all-city” approach to conventions through the establishment of the Fukuoka Directive Council comprising public, private, academic and civic sectors. Armed with a strategic road map and clear goals, the city, through the Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau, has made significant inroads on the global platform.
Earlier this year, the city participated in its first MICE international trade show, IMEX in Frankfurt, and later dispatched a strong team of delegates to the ICCA Congress in Shanghai.
Fukuoka is home to some 50 universities and colleges and three Science & Research Parks in the prefecture with its Kyushu University holding the chair’s position in the Conference of Asian University Presidents (CAUP).
The city is also considered a “gateway city” to the Asian continent from Japan and for its geological proximity to China and Korea. It is therefore no surprise that it has a strong and long relationship with North East Asia in cultural and business affairs.
The Fukuoka International Airport can be reached within 5 minutes from the city’s Hakata Station. This superb accessibility which guarantees stress-free MICE events is one of the city’s strengths - its compact structure and a walkable convention zone with 4 key facilities makes it an ideal MICE destination.
The last two years were significant for the city as it works to boost its appeal as an international MICE City. Fukuoka successfully hosted large scale conventions and events such as “SIU 2012 – the congress of Societe Internationale d’Ulorogie (3,200 delegates); “Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival (2,500 delegates),”and “The 51st OSEAL Forum: Orient and South East Asian Lions Forum (20,000 delegates).
Upcoming international conventions include the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies –APRICOT 2015; the Congress of the International Communication Association 2016 –ICA; and the Annual Convention of Lions Club International 2016 where some 35,000 pax delegates are expected to converge in Fukuoka.
Shinji Nakagawa, Executive Director of Fukuoka CVB said, “Our city aims to reinforce our competitiveness in the international conventions market through consolidated efforts in our service delivery and MICE products as well as in meetings infrastructure.”
