The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a global alliance Monday aimed at fostering the burgeoning convention industry along with six major cities abroad.

The “Future Convention Cities Initiative” started last July along with four founding member cities ― Seoul, London, Sydney and Toronto.

During Monday’s launch ceremony, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi and Durban, South Africa newly signed an agreement to join the Seoul-led alliance.

The new international partnership aims to conduct joint marketing activities and share information and knowledge of the convention industry, the metropolitan government said.

“Through the strategic development of the convention industry, which is one of the new growth engines, the city will overcome the deepening global financial crisis,” said Chung Kyung-won, vice Seoul mayor and chief of the Culture, Design and Tourism Headquarters.

British futurist Rohit Talwar, who became the FCCI’s first director general, delivered a special lecture on the future of the “MICE industry,” which refers to tourism including meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.

On Tuesday, the FCCI will hold Global Leadership Forum together with the Korea MICE Association. In the coming months, they plan to lay out marketing plans and conduct joint research in the field.

Since September 2008, Seoul had attempted to join the Best Cities Global Alliance, then the world’s only union of its kind, which was led by Singapore and Melbourne.

However, its bid was rejected at the time due to opposition from competing cities in the Asia-Pacific region.

The metropolitan government said that the FCCI’s establishment reflects the renewed status of Seoul as a convention city, hoping to attract more tourists for business purposes.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)