Orange County cities are eagerly anticipating the 2023 World Korean Business Convention, set to take place at the Anaheim Convention Center from October 11 to October 14.
The Overseas Koreans Agency reports that over 6,000 Korean and non-Korean business individuals from 30 countries will attend the event. They will spend three days and four nights in OC, partaking in activities such as dining, sleeping, shopping, golfing, and sightseeing. This is expected to significantly uplift the OC economy, including the Korean American business sector.
Anaheim, the host city, is already witnessing a surge in tax revenue from hotel room bookings and convention center rentals. Sales at on-site restaurants, as well as nearby dining establishments, are also projected to rise.
Adjacent to Anaheim, the cities of Buena Park and Garden Grove, both housing numerous Korean American enterprises, are reaping benefits as well. Hotels in these areas are experiencing an influx of reservations from attendees who either couldn’t find accommodations in Anaheim or were seeking more budget-friendly alternatives in neighboring locales.
Notably, Buena Park, which boasts the most extensive Korean American business district in OC, has crafted a map featuring “places to eat” and entertainment details, featuring Korean restaurants. This will be distributed to those attending the convention. “About 140 Korean American convention participants have made reservations at the DoubleTree and Fairfield Inn & Suites,” remarked Buena Park City Councilwoman Joyce Ahn.
Additionally, the city has allocated $15,000 to the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County to facilitate a shuttle service from the DoubleTree Hotel to the Anaheim Convention Center.
Meanwhile, Mayor Fred Jung, KACCOC president Sean Roh, and other Chamber leaders recently dined with Anaheim City Councilmembers Jose Diaz and Steve Faessel at the Anaheim Westin Hotel on September 27. They reached a consensus to bolster exchanges between Fullerton and Anaheim cities and their corresponding Korean municipalities, all thanks to this business convention.
BY LAWRENCE SANGHWAN LIM [lim.sanghwan@koreadaily.com]
