Cheng Gang, who is the president of the Suzhou International Expo Center, pointed out that the World Expo which will be held in Shanghai in 2010 would be an important event in the national exposition industry and a great chance for local exposition industry of Suzhou to show.
Chen said that because of the expo, a large number of visitors will travel to others cities near Shanghai, especially those within the Yangtze River Delta region. Therefore, Suzhou will benefit a lot from this expo. For it is the nearest city to Shanghai.
“Suzhou exhibition companies try to make sure to grasp their opportunity that this event supplied.”
Suzhou’s exhibition and convention industry is in its beginning level, compared with many other cities in China. However, there is an obvious developing after the building of Suzhou Exposition Center in 2004.
Since the opening of the center, it has been increased by 35 percent every year. By the end of May, it had hosted 400 events, including 124 exhibitions and 50 national and international meetings, and had 3 million visitors totally.
Although there was an economic crisis last year, it hosted 137 events which are 52 percent more than the previous year. Before the opening of the center, Suzhou only hosted 20 events per year at average.
In 2008, the city hosted 137 events, including 33 major exhibitions and many high profile conferences and symposiums, such as the China International Medical Equipment Fair, API China& Interphex China and the International Congress of the China Orthopedic Association (COA). Chen said this increase proves that the exposition organizers are attractive to this center, and many of whom have a good impression of our excellent working staff and facilities.
A spokesman for the COA said that the event in last year is successful and it is beyond our expectation. We are 100 percent satisfied with all the staff and services of the center.
The staff of the center are on the International high quality level for several employees are chosen to take further training in Singapore and Hong Kong, where are known as the top countries in this industry.
The Suzhou International Expo Center belongs to three leading international exhibition industry associations – the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO).
Due to this membership, Suzhou is now the home of the China headquarters of IAEE. Chen has become the president of the IAEE, who prospect that this center is playing the center role of exposition industry at both home and aboard.
The city government’s great investment in its facilities and upgrading industry development, suitable address, and sufficient tourism resources result in its rapid developing of local exposition industry.
The center is located in Suzhou Industrial Park, which is the major base in the Yangtze River Delta area. It specializes in the electronic information, biomedical machinery and clothing sectors. It meets the needs of exposition and convention events.
Suzhou has not only excellent local transportation system but also the convenient links with other cities near it. In addition, the cost of hosting exposition in Suzhou is relatively lower.
It is more convenient to travel from Suzhou to Shanghai than to travel from one side of Shanghai to another side.
One will only spend 45mins to travel from Suzhou to Shanghai by train, with 150 trains running between these two cities per day. The Shanghai to Nanjing Intercity railway is just under construction. It will supply service ahead of the 2010 Shanghai Expo. This railway system will narrow down the travel time from 45mins to 15mins.
What’s more, Suzhou is only 88km away from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, 120 km from Shanghai Pudong Airport and 23 km from Wuxi Shuofang Airport. There is a 100km distance away from the four ports in this city. We could also travel to the outside worlds through three expressways.
Last November, the administrative committee of the Suzhou Industrial Park put forward a list of policies which help to speed up the developing of its exposition industry. A special fund aims to help the hosting of large events are also included.
It is well known that Suzhou is famous as the most attractive city both for living and leisure. It is also being considered as the major tourist destination and traditional center for the business visitors.
Suzhou is attractive to visitors with long history and traditional culture. It also wins its compliment by its myriad canals and waterways, lush rolling hills, spectacular temples, pavilions, classic gardens and, most importantly, the spectacular beauty of the Taihu Lake.
The increasing growth of the exposition and convention industry stimulates many other industries such as tourism industry.
Chen said “this kind of the knock—on effect of exposition and convention industry can be simply regarded as 1-10 effect, that is to say, if the exposition profits 1 yuan an additional 10 yuan will be spent in somewhere else in the local area.
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August 17th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Keep up the good work. Everyone is opened to there opinion. Excellent blog here, i am still reading