China is regarded as the key emerging market in the global exhibition industry. In 2019, a total of 11,033 business exhibitions were organized in 187 major cities in the country. In 2020, the number of exhibitions dropped to only 5,408 due to the coronavirus pandemic, remained below 5,500 the following year, and dropped even further in 2022. In 2024, the number of exhibitions held in the country, 8,916, recovered to some extent.
The precious gift
Exhibitions play a vital role in Chinese national economic development. Not only do they attract trade and investment, but also bring in jobs and visitors. The exhibition industry has been thriving mostly in the economically developed regions in China, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Bohai Rim. In 2024, there were 376 exhibition venues in operation nationwide. Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guangdong were the leading regions for trade fairs and conventions.
The next level
In fact, the Chinese government has been quite supportive of this 200 billion U.S. dollar industry. After a series of policies and resources had been directed into building exhibition venues, China has some of the largest exhibition centers in the world, such as the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai and the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. With the accelerating construction of exhibition infrastructure, more exhibition halls would be ready for international expos and trade fairs. It suffices to say that the exhibition infrastructure in China has matured, yet the future challenges would come from ongoing logistical development, such as exhibition operation and venue management.