Strict safety measures were in place when Seoul hosted the 17th HETI International Congress - a meeting of experts in equine-assisted education and therapy.
The international congress for the Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International takes place every three years and the 2021 edition was hosted in a hybrid format.
The in-person element of the congress saw international delegates gather at Seoul’s COEX Convention and Exhibition Centre from June 7 to 10 June.
The mix of experts in the field of equine-assisted activities and therapies were sanitised immediately upon entering the venue via the Quarantine Gate which sprayed disinfectant directly onto delegates.
As part of the wider PLUS SEOUL programme, designed to support planners, delegates and staff through stringent safety measures, the venue also used thermographic cameras and infrared thermometers to monitor irregular body temperatures among delegates that may indicate an infection.
Bottles of hand sanitiser were also readily available around the venue for both the participants and staff to use.
Among the international delegates were speakers from Russia, Finland and the US. The speaker for the symposia session, Minna Peltonen from Finland said the safety measures “added to the feeling of safety during my stay at the congress.”
Another speaker for the plenary session, Janet Jones also opened up about her congress experience. “I enjoyed travelling to Seoul and felt the convention organisers took excellent care of me while I was there… I felt safe and comfortable during my entire stay in your city and hope to return someday.”
In conjunction with the PLUS SEOUL programme, the wider Seoul MICE Safety Care Service provided various insurances for participants in areas of medical care, travel-related issues and language services.
“The Seoul Convention Bureau is dedicated to promoting Seoul as a safe MICE destination and supporting event planners to host the events successfully under effective safety measures,” Seoul Convention Bureau director Jihyun Kim said.
“The 17th HETI International Congress provided an extensive example that Seoul is also placing much weight in providing the safest environment for onsite MICE events,” she added.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
