Yu Hao, deputy director of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce and director of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention and Exhibition, gives an exclusive interview to China Daily. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

Data showed that Xiamen hosted a total of 152 exhibitions in 2023, with a total area of approximately 2.26 million square meters, a 68.2-percent year-on-year increase. In 2024, the city aims to increase the number to three million square meters.

Yu Hao, deputy director of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce and director of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention and Exhibition, provided a detailed introduction to the construction, development, and advantages of Xiamen's international exhibition industry in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

Through the exhibitions, Xiamen is fostering collaboration, resource sharing, and future development with people from around the world.

Confidence in becoming international exhibition city

Yu stated that confidence in building Xiamen into an international convention and exhibition center stems first from its outstanding exhibition venue infrastructure. 

Xiamen has not only multiple modern and high-level exhibition venues, but also an abundance of supporting facilities in the vicinity, including hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.

Xiamen places great emphasis on the development of the exhibition industry and has formulated a series of supportive policies, added Yu.

In addition, the city boasts a convenient transportation network, abundant tourist attractions, and a solid industrial foundation, all of which provide rich exhibition content and resources for the development of the exhibition industry.

Contributions of Xiamen's exhibition industry

"Xiamen is committed to tapping into the enormous potential of the exhibition industry to drive urban economic development and promote international exchange and cooperation," said Yu.

In 2023, 4,383 conference events were held in Xiamen, attracting approximately 810,000 attendees, representing a 155.29-percent increase compared to the previous year.

In addition to direct revenue, this growth has driven the development of industries such as accommodation, transportation, and tourism, boosting Xiamen's GDP by about 28.7 billion yuan ($3.98 billion). That number is expected to further increase in the future.

"The hotel occupancy rates around the exhibition center are directly influenced the exhibitions, as the exhibitions determine the peak and off-peak seasons for hotels," said a manager surnamed Li of Xiamen Tianyuan Hotel.

Significance of exhibition industry for industrial development

Yu believes that in Xiamen, the development of the exhibition industry has not only driven the development and upgrading of related industries but also promoted the optimization and upgrading of the city's economic structure.

By hosting various exhibitions, a large number of exhibitors and visitors come from all over.

The 2023 China Sport Show attracted a record high of over 100,000 attendees, while the 23rd China International Fair for Investment and Trade attracted nearly 80,000 domestic and foreign participants from 106 countries and regions.

Furthermore, the development of the exhibition industry also helps to enhance the city's visibility and influence, added Yu.

By hosting internationally-influential exhibition events, Xiamen showcases its industrial advantages, attracting more domestic and international investment and cooperation opportunities.

Trends and integration of global exhibition industry

In Yu's view, the development trends of the global exhibition industry can be described as digitization, intelligence, and greening.

From the online exhibition platforms to the integration of VR/AR technology, digital technology has penetrated into various aspects of the exhibition industry. Intelligent guidance, smart recommendations, and other intelligent technologies bring convenience and personalized experiences to exhibitors and visitors. 

Meanwhile, exhibitions are paying more attention to environmental protection and sustainability in terms of venue selection, material usage, and energy consumption.

"In the process of integrating into the international market, Xiamen not only encourages local exhibition companies to increase their global reach, but also attract internationally-renowned exhibition companies and exhibitions to Xiamen," said Yu.

Through initiatives such as supply chain integration, resource collaboration, and international talent development, Xiamen is establishing a comprehensive, wide-ranging, and multi-level platform for cooperation and exchange aimed at promoting the in-depth integration of Xiamen's exhibition industry with the international market and further enhancing Xiamen's influence and competitiveness in the international exhibition field.