BITF 2004 Highly Successful
- Seminar focuses on strategies to develop convention industry

Busan International Travel Fair 2004(BITF 2004) opened for a four-day run at the BEXCO in Busan closed on a successful note on Oct. 24.
The colorful event was participated in by some 200 tourism-related firms and organizations served as a display of exhibitions on global tourism resources as well as an arena of exchanging tourism information and marketing activities, organized by the Busan Metropolitan City government and sponsored by the Busan City Tourism Association, BEXCO, and KOTFA.
The participating exhibitors set up and operated some 350 booths on the BEXCO exhibition area. BITF 2004 included exhibitions, official ceremonies, and auxiliary events such as a seminar on tourism.
BITF 2004 provided the host city with an opportunity to promote its fascinating tourism assets and boost its profile as a hub port of Northeast Asia. The Busan Metropolitan City government took advantage of the colorful event to enhance its image abroad in the tourism and other sectors ahead of the APEC 2005 Korea and "Visit Korea 2005", both slated for next year. Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik, in his opening speech, welcomed all participants working within the travel industry with a warm heart to BITF 2004 taking place in Busan, which has become a key hub for international trade in Northeast Asia.
Vibrant with its own unique culture, Busan is a city that holds many internationally renowned events that include the Busan International Film Festival, the Busan Sea Festival, and the "Jagalchi" Open Market Festival. As a testament to its popularity, every year 200,000 visitors from all over the globe and within Korea itself make an effort to attend the Busan International Film Festival, the mayor said.
The 2nd National Assembly Culture-Tourism Industry Research Society held a seminar at BEXCO from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., Oct. 23 with five presentations on international tourism.
Busan City Political Deputy Mayor Ahn Jun-tai made a welcoming speech at the opening of the seminar, while Bae Duck-gwang, Haeundae Ward Chief, made a congratulatory speech.
Kim Chan, director-general of the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in his presentation entitled, "the Status of the Convention Industry in Korea and Its Development Plans," pointed out that the convention industry is a high value-added industry with strong foreign exchange earning power, being touted as a next-generation growth industry. The industry also boosts revenues of related industries through its direct and indirect foreign exchange earnings in addition to latest information and technology, facilitating growth of related industries, creating jobs in the areas where conventions take place. The government official said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has exerted very much of its efforts to better extend government support to the industry in consideration of its strategic value. The ministry revised the international convention industry promotion law set up in December 1996, intended to facilitate more effective government support to the development of the industry.
Professor Kim Chang-dae of Busan Dongseo University, in his presentation entitled, "The Vitalization Plan for Tourism and Convention Industry in Busan and the South Gyeongnam Provincial Area by Turning Marine Cultural Resources into Network," said de-centralized and balanced regional development model is now called for away from the centralized growth model pushed by the central government. In the 21st century, regions would become a core unit of the economy and their competitiveness would make the country competitive. Therefore, regions should take on only industries that would be competitive by locating plants in their areas under development strategies that will fully make them competitive. The central government should be able to extend support tailored to their needs and characteristics. nw