Chengdu Becomes Destination of Choice for Major International Conventions and Exhibitions in Central and Western China

- Chengdu's new status as a center for international events moves the city's convention and exhibition industry up to a whole new level

CHENGDU, China, Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- At the beginning of the year, the 2015 High-end Academic Conference Development Forum and Exhibition, co-organized by the China International Conference Center for Science and Technology (CICCST) and China National Convention Center (CNCC), came to a conclusion at Beijing's CNCC on January 15^th, with the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition (CCPIT Chengdu) and CICCST inking a cooperation framework agreement for 2015 at the event. The two parties agreed to consolidate and streamline the entire process for obtaining the permission to hold conventions and exhibitions, with a special focus on the process for international events, in a move to attract some of the more renowned international academic conferences to Chengdu and to further develop the city as the destination for international conferences in general.

With implementation of the "China Western Development" strategy, Chengdu has been leading in attracting major domestic and foreign conventions and exhibitions to western China. From the 2013 Fortune Global Forum and 2013 World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention to the twelfth Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2014 and 2014 World Robotics and Intelligent Equipment Industry Conference & Exhibition, Chengdu has become the city of choice for international conventions and exhibitions in the country's central and western regions as more and more of the events migrate west.

According to data released by the Chengdu Bureau of Statistics, the city held 530 major convention and exhibition events in 2014, of which, 214 were exhibitions (45 exhibitions, or 26.6 per cent more than a year earlier) while 113 were international conferences and forums (8 conferences and forums or 7.6 per cent more than a year earlier). The space used by exhibitions during the year added up to 3.25 million square meters, a year on year increase of 8.0 per cent. The 49 international exhibitions occupied 1.74 million square meters of the space, up 16.0 per cent year on year. The city's convention and exhibition industry generated direct revenue amounting to 6.95 billion yuan (approx US$1.11 billion) and consolidated revenue of 58.4 billion yuan (approx US$9.34 billion), up 14.9 per cent and 14.5 per cent from a year earlier, respectively. The industry contributed a value add exceeding 31 billion yuan (approx US$4.96 billion), which is expected to account for 3 per cent of the city's GDP and for about 6 per cent of value added to the city's service industry.

With revenue goals approaching the trillion yuan mark for 2015, Chengdu has qualified its prospects in the sector for the new year with a new approach, defined by the words: "the new normal, a trillion yuan in revenue and a new beginning, with bright prospects for the future.

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150122/0861500549-a
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150122/0861500549-b