Shanghai to become convention center

SHANGHAI - The city's meeting and conference market might have suffered over the past few years from the crippling effects of the financial crisis, but forecasts are promising, made even more so by Expo 2010 Shanghai, according to tourism experts.

The city is expected to present itself to the world with a new image as a meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition (MICE) destination, thanks to the global attention and exposure from the Expo, according to the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration.

"After the Expo, Shanghai will become a famous international MICE destination," said Cheng Meihong, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration. "The tourism industry will benefit from the relatively young but growing business as part of post-Expo effects."