Chengdu builds edge in exhibitions industry

The Airport Cities Asia Pacific Conference and Exhibition 2015, which took place from May 13 to 15 in Chengdu, has attracted more than 600 delegates, the largest number for the annual event since it began in 2002. This includes executives from about 40 airports and 30 airline companies from around the world.

Organized by world-leading event organizer UBM, the forum is just one of 450 events scheduled to be held in the western China city this year.

With the implementation of a national strategy to develop western China, the region has attracted increasing attention from world conference and event organizers and exhibitors. Chengdu, with its advantages in aviation handling capacity, environment and tourism resources, has become a favorite destination in the region.

The airport cities conference is one of the most important events for Chengdu this year, and a milestone in the city's efforts to build an international air portal, officials from the city's exhibition office said.

Wolfram Diener, senior vice-president of UBM Asia, said Chengdu has a competitive edge in both infrastructure and services in the conference and exhibition business.

In April 2012, the 10th Route Development Forum for Asia, a leading annual event for the civil aviation sector in Asia, was held in Chengdu, with the number of exhibitors reaching a record high.

The city will also host the World Route Development Forum in 2016, following Beijing to become the second Chinese city to host the event.

Diener said he is "confident" that event will be a success.

In recent years, the city government has established partnerships with a number of globally renowned event organizers including UBM to attract international conferences and exhibitions.

The city hosted nearly 100 events in the first three months of this year, including 11 international conferences and 31 exhibitions. The exhibitions covered total space of 656,000 square meters, an increase of 39.5 percent year-on-year.

The conference and exhibitions industry led to revenue of more than 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) over the period, up 17.5 percent.

Chengdu government officials said that by hosting international conferences, exhibitions and festivities, the city would forge closer ties with the outside world and increase its global reputation.

Despite a fixed time period and limited number of participants, an event "can bring boundless after effects to the city, especially opportunities for development", officials from the exhibition office said.

The second half of this year is also filled with conferences and exhibitions, including the 10th EU-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair, the 2015 Chengdu International Petroleum & Petrochemical Technology and Equipment Exhibition and the sixth Asia-Pacific Natural Gas Vehicles Association International Conference & Exhibition, also known as ANGVA 2015.

ANGVA 2015, to be held from Nov 4 through 6, is the world's largest and most influential forum and exhibition for the natural gas vehicle industry. It is held every other year in Asia-Pacific countries by turns. Chengdu is the second Chinese city to host the event, after Beijing in 2011.

With its theme of "natural gas vehicles, a realistic choice of clean transportation", the event will invite leading researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers and government officials to share ideas about related policies and strategies, as well as the latest developments and applications of natural gas vehicles, gas stations and vehicle parts.

The second International Conference on Intelligent Transportation will open the same month. Organized by the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the conference will focus on advanced manufacturing and low-carbon transportation management.