The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) is working with the organisers of Expo 2025 to help the event reach its full potential. It may even cover a portion of the running costs for international conventions that align with the themes and goals of Expo 2025.
However, organisations must not have already selected Osaka as host destination at the time of application, nor be receiving grants or subsidies from the national government or local municipalities.
OCTB aims to make Osaka one of Asia’s leading cities for international tourism and culture. It works with organisers to bring their events to Osaka and to “generate unique, exciting events that encourage worldwide investment in Osaka”.
OCTB offers various services and support – including financial, planning and promotion – to bring more events to Osaka and to ensure their success.
Key players in the business events industry from across Osaka formed Team Osaka MICE, “a unified effort to bring more meetings and events to Osaka leading up to and during Expo 2025, and to develop them into exceptional successes”.
To stoke greater interest, OCTB, Osaka International Convention Center Corp and Osaka International Business Promotion Center co-organised Japan MICE EXPO 2024 to promote the Japanese MICE brand to the world.
Held at INTEX Osaka on October 17 and 18, it had two components. Japan MICE Destination EXPO featured business meetings between MICE-related suppliers and organisers of international and domestic conferences – both industry associations and academic – and incentive tours.
MICE Supporting EXPO focused on business meetings between exhibition organisers and corporate event organisers and MICE suppliers.
The combined event drew 128 exhibitors and 2,810 attendees, including foreign and local hosted buyers and trade visitors. A novel feature was 13 exhibitors presenting 26 pitches to 25 overseas buyers in the MICE destination pitch.
