Chengdu will host the 8th China International Convention and Exhibition Cultural Festival in July 2012 - the second time in three years, organizers said.

Ni Wei, president of China Convention and Exhibition magazine, sponsor of the China International Convention and Exhibition Cultural Festival, said it was the first time in the event's history for a city to be asked to again sponsor the festival within a three-year period. Ni said the city won the honor because of its reputation for fast, efficient, professional and people-friendly services to companies, industries and special event organizers.

The announcement was made at the close July 24 of the 7th China International Convention and Exhibition Cultural Festival.

"These days, Chinese cities are enthusiastic about the convention and exhibition economy. They have built many large-scale convention and exhibition pavilions. But as shown by experience, software is crucial for core competitiveness, while hardware is important in the convention and exhibition industry," Ni said.

The German cities of Munich, Hanover and Frankfurt have common hardware facilities and they are also skilled at providing services to large-scale conventions, which has made the cities internationally famous to the convention and exhibit industry, Ni said.

Chengdu wins convention city accolades

Ni said Chengdu deserves the same accolades. "We have noticed an important idea penetrating Chengdu's convention and exhibition development in recent years, and this is to 'serve the city'," Ni said.

Chengdu now offers one-stop, high-quality services for small and large sponsors, he said. "It has enabled Chengdu to develop into a deserved first-class city in the convention and exhibition sector, though it is second class in comprehensive strength nationwide," Ni said.

Ni's comments were echoed by Jiang Chengwen and Song Wei. Jiang is president of Lizhan Huabo Exhibition (Shenzhen) Co Ltd, the largest sponsor of exhibitions in the Chinese gift sector, which has hosted many exhibitions in Chengdu. Song is the deputy general manager of Guoyao Lizhan Exhibition Co Ltd, the largest sponsor of conventions and exhibitions in the Chinese medicine and health care sector.

"Chengdu is definitely a leading city in one-stop service in the country," Jiang said. The local government has integrated 30-plus municipal departments for publicity, public security, traffic management, convention and exhibition, city management, industry and commerce, public health, transportation, quality supervision, intellectual property, electric power, and communications. Through its exhibition bureau, the city has been able to use all of these services to provide exhibitors with efficient, meticulous and professional services in Chengdu.

"This has enabled us to feel relieved and comfortable about attending exhibitions in Chengdu. And this has consolidated our resolution to establish Chengdu as one of our four strategic points in the country," Jiang said.

Song said since first coming to Chengdu for a convention in 1998, the company's largest numbers of exhibits have been held in Chengdu.

"With its barrier-free communication and organization mechanisms, we have become bold enough and also willing to put many innovative exhibitions up for 'trial operations' in Chengdu. In September, a special meeting will be held for the first time in Chengdu on green hospital construction solutions," Song added.

High marks for economic growth

Chengdu's focus on growing its convention and exhibition base is benefiting the city's whole economy, said Chen Lin, director of the municipal exhibition bureau.

"The convention and exhibition industry is based on considerable social and economic development in a city. Therefore, it will add brilliance to the present splendor of the city. It should make the city even better. For Chengdu, it should serve the city's high-end industries and economic and social development," Chen said.

According to the latest figures available from the city, the city has recorded strong growth in the convention and exhibition sector for the first six months of this year. By June 30, Chengdu's convention and exhibition industry realized 1.84 billion yuan in direct income, up 14 percent year-on-year.

The city held 213 conventions and exhibitions, up 20 percent year-on-year. They included 71 professional exhibitions, 87 festival activities, and 55 specialized meetings and forums. The exhibitions covered a gross area of 1.11 million square meters, up 33.9 percent year-on-year. The meeting areas totaled 1.7 million square meters, up 9.1 percent.

The meetings and forums totaled 7,671, attracting 99.79 million participants, including 19.34 million (?)from other parts of the country. They contributed to 69.26 billion yuan in deals, and introduced 321 investment projects to the city valued at 113.49 billion yuan in investment agreements. They also contributed to 19.43 billion yuan in domestic consumer spending.

All these conventions and exhibitions provided 536,948 persons temporary jobs each day, which is equivalent to 2,148 long-term jobs. In the first half of this year, the number of participants increased 18.3 percent over the same period last year. (The New Year shopping period and intangible cultural heritage period furnished no year-on-year data for comparison.)

Numbers of participants from other parts of the country increased 8.5 percent. The volume of transactions increased 54 percent. The protocol investment amount increased 18.3 percent. Direct income from conventions and exhibitions increased 13.6 percent. They raised consumer spending levels by 41.8 percent.

A 'new engine' to drive the future

The emerging service industry, as represented by the convention and exhibition industry, has gradually become a "new engine" of economic transformation of the city, city leaders said.

"Entering the 12th Five-Year Development Plan period, the provincial and municipal governments have given priority to develop the convention and exhibition economy. Against this backdrop, the Chengdu convention and exhibition industry will develop rapidly," Chen said.

This year, Chengdu will promulgate its 12th Five-Year Plan on the development of the convention and exhibition industry. The city will implement scientific planning for convention and exhibition pavilion construction, turn to more innovations, strengthen resource integration and elevate the level of services. Chengdu also will consolidate industrial bases, extend greater policy support, and cultivate a new pattern for development of this sector more compatible with internationally accepted practices.