Conference in Wuhan signposts city's recovery

A two-day conference with more than 700 people in attendance concluded in Wuhan, Hubei province on Wednesday, marking the commercial recovery of the hotel, exhibition and convention industry in the city.

Participants arrived at the Wuhan International Exhibition Center, had their body temperatures measured and their health codes scanned before entering the conference hall on Tuesday.

In the dining halls, individual servings were provided, and each table of eight diners was equipped with disinfecting wet towels.

Huang Juan, an organizer of the conference, said it was the first time a conference or commercial event in which more than 500 people had participated since the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year.

The city, which was one of the hardest hit by COVID-19, had banned major conferences and commercial events earlier to prevent the spread of the pandemic, Huang said.

Organizers strengthened disinfection work in the conference hall, dining halls, elevators, toilets and other facilities and public venues to ensure a successful commercial event was held during the conference before it took place, she said.

The hotel also introduced a new air-conditioning system to prevent spread of the virus between hotel rooms.

Organizers said the success of the event would play a positive role in boosting resumption of the hotel and restaurant sectors and raise confidence in promoting and accelerating economic recovery in the second half of the year.