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Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Industry Development Report (2018)

2019/8/30

A Summary of the Development of Convention and Exhibition Industry in Xiamen in 2018

China achieved an overall stable performance while at the same time securing progress in its economic development despite the complex international environment and the arduous tasks of stable reform and development at home in 2018. As a new growth point of economic development, the exhibition economy serves a vital purpose in promoting the rapid, sustained and healthy development of the urban economy, which is highly valued by the CPC Central Committee and local governments. Facing the historical node of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry seize the opportunity of promoting the double 100-billion-yuan targets (building 100-billion-yuan industry chain cluster and implementing 100-billion-yuan investment projects) in MICE industry under the leadership of the CPC municipal committee and municipal government and the guidance of the municipal bureau of convention & exhibition affairs. Acting as a “city accelerator”, Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry drives the efficient development of related industries such as tourism, trade, logistics, and consumption in upstream and downstream, strengthens integration with the main industries, and promotes the development of other 100-billion-yuan industrial chains, thus playing a vital role in boosting economic development and urban transformation.

By fully exerting the “BRICS spillover effect” in 2018, Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry have made pioneering efforts and scientific progress, thus achieving new growth and development. Xiamen has gained further optimized convention and exhibition industry structure, raised the quality of conferences and exhibitions, enhanced internationalization level, improved business environment, and increased efficiency, and it has made new achievements in the coordinated development of the total factor of the convention and exhibition industry chain. The convention and exhibition industry has been fully affirmed and highly praised by the convention and exhibition circles and the major media at home and abroad. In 2018, Xiamen was awarded “2018 Golden Five Star Excellent MICE City” and “2018 China’s Most Competitive International MICE Destination”; Siming District was awarded “2018 China’s Most Competitive MICE District”; Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs won the “2018 Golden Five Star Excellent MICE Management Organization Award”; Xiamen Convention & Exhibition Association won the “2018 Golden Five Star Excellent MICE Association Award”; Xiamen Convention & Exhibition Association was awarded the member contribution award by Asian Federation of Exhibition & Convention Associations (AFECA) due to its cooperation with and contribution to Asian convention and exhibition circle; the Public Information Service Platform of Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Industry won the “China City Excellent MICE Information Website Award”; and the Cross-Strait (Xiamen) Cultural Industries Fair won the “China City Excellent MICE Project Award”.

I. The exhibition industry shows the rapid growth

Xiamen has seized the opportunity and taken corresponding actions for its exhibition industry in 2018. By leveraging the environmental advantages and the leading role of brand exhibitions, Xiamen has opened up new channels, excavated new themes, planned, cultivated and introduced new projects, and expanded the market share of exhibitions, thus realizing rapid growth in the number and scale of the exhibition industry. The exhibition industry in Xiamen has seen a steady growth trend in 2018. A total of 229 exhibition projects were held in Xiamen, up 11.71% year on year. The total exhibition area for the whole year reached 2.3783 million square meters, up 8.6% year on year; and the exhibitions of the whole year attracted 104,300 overseas exhibitors from more than 150 countries and regions worldwide, 455,600 domestic exhibitors, and 5.1867 million visitors, with 2.2542 million exhibitors at home and abroad staying in Xiamen per day. The number of exhibitions, the exhibition area, the number of exhibitors at home and abroad, and the total number of visitors hit a new high. 2018 witnessed a total of 25 newly-held exhibitions, including 9 with a scale of more than 10,000 square meters for the first time, which presents good prospects and potential, thus greatly boosting the development of related industries and market expansion in Xiamen.

II. The convention market is booming

In 2018, Xiamen’s convention industry enjoys a prosperous and strong growth under the rising internationalization level, international popularity and influence brought about by the Xiamen Summit. Hotels and conference centers throughout the city received 9,262 commercial conferences of more than 50 people, up 12.14% year on year, of which 368 were above the scale that reached the incentive standard at the municipal level, up 1.66% year on year. A total of 1.8832 million participants from home and abroad attended conferences in Xiamen in 2018, up 12.1% year on year, with about 9.6377 million persons staying in Xiamen throughout the year, up 8.31% year on year.

III. The economic benefits yield fruitful results

2018 witnessed a further enhanced driving force of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry for the city’s economy. The flow of people, logistics, information, technology and capital brought about by the convention and exhibition has effectively boosted the development of urban tourism, catering, trade, logistics, transportation and other related industries and supporting industries, thus generating a positive driving effect on urban development. Stimulated by the benefits of the BRICS, Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry undergoes quality and efficiency improvement and maintains a positive development trend. Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry throughout the year achieved economic benefits of 40.303 billion yuan, up 5.7% year on year, including a direct economic benefit of 19.183 billion yuan, up 5.92% year on year, and driven economic benefit of 21.12 billion yuan, up 5.51% year on year. The convention and exhibition industry has turned into an important role in boosting the economic growth of Xiamen.

IV. The convention and exhibition facilities get an expansion and upgrading

Xiamen has further improved the construction of its convention and exhibition facilities in 2018, and accelerated the improvement of the functions of convention and exhibition center area in the island, including the upgrading and renovation of Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center area, improvement of the relevant supporting facilities and high-end commercial functional areas of the convention and exhibition center area, expansion of exhibition venues and increase of exhibition area and conference facilities. During the 2018 Xiamen International MICE Week, Xiamen ITG MICE Group Co., Ltd. was officially established to take charge of the construction and operation of the new convention and exhibition center project in Xiamen east sports exhibition new town. The east sports exhibition's new town area is also one of the key 100-billion-yuan investment projects carried out in Xiamen. After completion, it will further improve Xiamen’s convention and exhibition infrastructure, help build an exhibition industry ecosystem with balanced development inside and outside the island, and effectively promote the strategic deployment of Xiamen’s double 100-billion-yuan targets and achieve expansion and strengthening of MICE industry. Over the past year, high-grade hotels such as HUALUXE Xiamen Haicang, Joyze Hotel Xiamen (Curio Collection by Hilton), Courtyard by Marriott Xiamen Haicang, Hampton by Hilton Xiamen and other high-grade hotels have been opened and operated one after another, which has also further improved the conference reception capacity and level of Xiamen.

22 exhibition venues in the city can undertake exhibitions of more than 1,000 square meters in 2018, covering an area of 303,700 square meters. Venues such as Haicang Sports Center, Zhang Xiong Academy of Painting and Calligraphy, and Kah Kee Stadium have no exhibition projects or other cultural and sports activities throughout the year, but some new exhibition venues have been put into use, such as the Red Dot Design Museum, XUDC Huamei Park, and Longshan Cultural and Creative Park, so the number of exhibition venues is the same as last year, but the area has increased. The 127 hotels and conference centers that can undertake conference activities (included in the statistics) offer 888 conference rooms of various types, up 3.62% year on year, and the total area reaches 192,300 square meters, up 8.52% year on year.

V. The marketing achieves new results

To implement the “double 100-billion-yuan” development strategic plan of the CPC municipal committee and municipal government for the MICE industry in 2018, Xiamen has further strengthened the construction of international marketing platform, and increased international marketing efforts, with MICE marketing achieving new results. First, a global marketing plan for the convention and exhibition industry in 2018 has been formulated to carry out comprehensive marketing with the image of “BRICS Xiamen”, through which the international popularity and reputation of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry have been greatly enhanced. Second, in conjunction with the promotional activities of the CIFIT, Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs has paid a visit to Holland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Taiwan and other countries and regions to promote Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry. Third, representatives have been sent to participate in the 23rd Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF), the 85th UFI Global Congress, the 57th International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress, the Annual Meeting of AFECA, cross-strait exhibition exchanges and other activities, to learn the latest concept of the industry, expand the high-quality resources of the convention and exhibition industry, and boost the global marketing of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry through the conference platform, with good results achieved. Fourth, more than 80 exhibition enterprises in the city have been organized to participate in China (Shanghai) International Incentive Travel and Conference Exposition (IT&CM CHINA), the 11th China Meetings Industry Convention (Beijing), China (Hangzhou) eighth Chinese and Foreign Convention and Exhibition Project Cooperation Fair, China (Hefei) City MICE Cooperation and Development Forum, 2018 China (Hainan) City MICE Cooperation and Development Forum and Annual Meeting of China Union of City Convention and Exhibition Industry Associations, to comprehensively promote Xiamen’s convention and exhibition environment and policies, and expand the resources in such respect. Fifth, the activities of “2018 Xiamen International MICE Week” have been successfully held, including International MICE Summit & Strait MICE Cooperation Forum, BRICS & Emerging Markets International MICE Cooperation Forum, Asian Universities MICE Education Cooperation Forum and the 10th China Annual Conference for MICE Education, Straits MICE Cooperation Forum, Xiamen International MICE Week Projects Matchmaking, SITE China Summit and International Incentive Travel Training). The activities are sponsored by several institutions with global influence, and attended by participating groups on a large scale from nearly 30 countries and regions such as BRICS, emerging market countries, Europe and the United States and at home. An unprecedented high standard has been reached in terms of content, effectiveness, international and high-end aspects. Xiamen International MICE Week has turned into a dazzling brand of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry. Sixth, the construction of the Xiamen convention and exhibition website (the Public Information Service Platform of Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Industry) in Chinese and English version has been strengthened. The annual total click-through rate of the Xiamen convention and exhibition website broke through the 11 million marks for the first time, with a click-through rate of 9.7 million from the Chinese version and 1.3 million from the English version. The visiting IP comes from 120 countries and regions around the world. Xiamen convention and exhibition website have become a window for the world to understand the development of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry and an important platform for Xiamen’s exhibition marketing. Seventh, cooperation with relevant domestic media has been strengthened. A total of 59 soft sell articles, 10 hard-sell advertisements, and 131 pieces of news were published throughout the year, which has expanded the popularity and influence of the Xiamen convention and exhibition at home and abroad. Eighth, new achievements have been made in the editing and distribution of “Strait MICE” and “Xiamen MICE News”. The guidance to the editorial work of “Strait MICE” has been strengthened, and the editing and distribution work has been driven, making it play an important role in enhancing the influence of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry and cross-strait convention and exhibition circles. Six issues of “Strait MICE” were published throughout the year, with a total of 18,000 copies, while 18 issues of “Xiamen MICE News” were compiled and issued, with 70 paper copies and 1,000 electronic copies, totaling more than 140,000 words, which fully reflect the development of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry.

VI. The legal system construction of convention and exhibition is improved

Under the great attention and leadership of the CPC municipal committee and municipal government in recent years, Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry undergoes a continuous quality and efficiency improvement and maintains a positive development momentum under the location advantages, urban characteristics and development environment of Xiamen. But with the rapid development of the convention and exhibition industry, compared with such industry in international and domestic major cities, Xiamen currently still faces some limitations and deficiencies such as venue bottleneck, weak supporting functions, few brand exhibitions, insufficient urban exhibition marketing. In light of the growing convention and exhibition industry, Xiamen has collected the feedback from various sides in the industry chain and the current implementation situation of supporting policies based on active investigation and full investigation, made the comparison between the current convention and exhibition industry policies implemented by major domestic convention and exhibition cities, and actively mobilized the enthusiasm of social forces to plan and organize exhibitions through various measures, so as to push forward the all-round development of the convention and exhibition industry. Xiamen has successively issued the Notice of Several Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of the Credit System of Convention and Exhibition Industry in Xiamen (for Trial Implementation) (X.H.Z. [2018] No. 72), and the Notice of Measures for the Implementation of Public Credit Information Management of Convention and Exhibition Industry in Xiamen (for Trial Implementation) (X.H.Z. [2018] No. 96), and formulated the Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Industry Credit Commitment System to create a credit system platform for the convention and exhibition industry; the new edition of supporting opinions has been revised, which increased the support and reward system for the development of convention and exhibition enterprises, to enhance the enthusiasm of enterprises to hold conferences and exhibitions; the Regulations on the Promotion of the Convention and Exhibition Industry in Xiamen Special Economic Area (listed as an optional project of Xiamen Municipal People’s Government in 2019) has been proposed to promote the healthy and sound development of the convention and exhibition industry through legislation. To cooperate with the implementation of the X.H.Z. [2018] No. 72 Document, the municipal convention & exhibition association has issued the Notice on Strengthening the Code of Conduct for the Credit Construction of Convention and Exhibition Industry (X.Z.X. [2018] No. 17). Huli District has issued a convention and exhibition support policy, and the Office of Huli District People’s Government has issued the Notice of Supporting Opinions on Further Promoting the Development of Convention and Exhibition Industry in Huli District (X.H.F.B. [2018] No. 66). Siming District and Jimei District have also formulated supplementary notices for standardized application, in order to carry out the conference evaluation and reward in a more timely, standardized and effective manner. The support policies for convention and exhibition in the city and the districts are superimposed and supplemented, with policies at city and district level linked, which stimulate the enthusiasm of the society to hold exhibitions and conferences. Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Intellectual Property, in collaboration with the municipal convention & exhibition association, carried out the assistance work of intellectual property rights protection in the industry. The “China (Xiamen) Intellectual Property Assistance Center Xiamen Conference and Exhibition Industry Association Work Station” was officially launched on September 5 to provide enterprises with intellectual property information consultation, training and rights protection services, so as to ensure the healthy and orderly development of the industry.

Led by the municipal bureau of convention & exhibition affairs, the municipal convention & exhibition association cooperated with the relevant competent departments of various districts and relevant law enforcement departments to establish a linkage mechanism for close contact and full cooperation, which effectively promoted the optimization of the convention and exhibition environment in Xiamen. Various relevant departments have timely held city-district linkage symposiums and policy seminars to strengthen publicity and promotion through various channels, and worked together to effectively conduct the convention and exhibition marketing work, so as to push forward the development of the convention and exhibition industry.

VII. The comprehensive capacity of the industrial chain is further lifted

Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry chain becomes more perfect in 2018, with the social service guarantee capacity furthered improved. According to statistics, more than 390 enterprises have joined the municipal convention & exhibition association by the end of 2018, with the scope of business covering the upstream, midstream and downstream links of the conference and exhibition. All the major sectors of the convention and exhibition industry chain in Xiamen have developed to varying degrees. First, exhibition organizations show a diversified development, and industry associations, media, and large state-owned enterprises have set foot in or expanded the convention and exhibition market. Xiamen convention and exhibition enterprises are also actively planning new exhibition projects, with the convention and exhibition industry team further expanded. Second, the team engaged in conference services has expanded continuously. 80 conference companies in the city have joined the municipal convention & exhibition association, up 5.26% year on year. Third, the number of hotels and conference centers that undertake conference activities in the city has increased, with 127 ones included in the statistics. Among them, HUALUXE Xiamen Haicang, Joyze Hotel Xiamen (Curio Collection by Hilton), Courtyard by Marriott Xiamen Haicang, Hampton by Hilton Xiamen and other high-grade hotels have been put into operation one after another, and efforts have been made to expand the conference market, which has also further improved the conference reception capacity and level of Xiamen. Fourth, exhibition design and construction enterprises have further developed, with 145 enterprises joining the municipal convention & exhibition association. There are 102 enterprises qualified for exhibition design and construction in the city. Fifth, the industries and fields such as translation, security, customs clearance and logistics, vehicle rental, inkjet printing, photography and video recording, education and training, and catering services have been continuously expanding, which has comprehensively enhanced the guarantee capability of convention and exhibition services in Xiamen.

VIII. Fruitful cooperation at home and abroad is achieved

Further strengthening international marketing and expanding cooperation and exchanges at home and abroad is an important measure for Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry to raise its international level, enhance its international popularity and influence, expand its industrial share and improve its quality. Cooperation between Xiamen and the convention and exhibition circles at home and abroad was gradually strengthened in 2018. In the same year, with the support of the CPC municipal committee, municipal government and relevant departments, Xiamen has strengthened exchanges and cooperation with convention and exhibition industry at home and abroad and yielded new achievements. First, Xiamen has further strengthened its exchanges and cooperation with the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and the Asian Federation of Exhibition & Convention Associations (AFECA). A platform has been established for connection with UFI, ICCA, IAEE, SITE and AFECA, and a network has been set up for exchange and cooperation with convention and exhibition institutions in developed regions such as Europe, Australia, the United States and Southeast Asia. Second, Xiamen has successfully held the “2018 Xiamen International MICE Week”. By successfully holding the BRICS & Emerging Markets International MICE Cooperation Forum, the BRICS & Emerging Markets MICE Cooperation Union was established in cooperation with the convention and exhibition associations of Russia, South Africa, Brazil and India, as well as those along the Belt and Road (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico). Such a move has further expanded the international circle and formed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Convention and Exhibition Cooperation”, laying a solid foundation for the "BRICS & Emerging Markets International MICE Cooperation” in the future. Third, Xiamen has actively participated in the activities of the AFECA, and pushed six mainland institutions and enterprises to join the AFECA, therefore strengthening the strength of mainland China in the AFECA. Fourth, the exchanges and cooperation have been strengthened with the members of the MICE Alliance of Pan-Pearl River Delta Cities and the China Union of City Convention and Exhibition Industry Associations. Xiamen has completed the reception of visits of convention and exhibition associations and offices from more than 30 cities, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Expo Bureau. Xiamen has also organized the heads of convention and exhibition enterprises to pay an investigation visit to 16 cities, thus expanding the influence of Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry, and introducing several exhibitions to be held in Xiamen, which has contributed to the development of the convention and exhibition industry in China.

IX. The industry features prominent bonding and catalytic role

While serving as a vital piece of the modern service industry, the convention and exhibition industry also plays a strong bonding and catalytic role in the development of other industries. The 20th China International Fair for Investment and Trade attracted more than 120,000 merchants from 1,005 industrial and commercial groups and about 5,000 enterprises from 128 countries and regions to gather in Xiamen. More than 2,500 domestic and foreign institutions with 6,000 international standard booths of 130,000 square meters attended the fair to look for business opportunities. 617 guests discussed and shared wisdom and gave directions at 87 investment promotion forums. Over 20,000 high-quality projects were discussed, and cooperation agreements were reached on 1,982 projects, with a total investment of 527.5 billion yuan. Under the influence of the CIFIT, a series of international exhibitions such as the stone fair and the Buddhist items & crafts fair have become increasingly popular and influential, with the scale topping the world for consecutive years. The stone fair brings together the most complete and top-quality stone materials, machinery, tools and peripheral products in the world, which sets up a professional stone trade platform for merchants at home and abroad to display and negotiate, making Xiamen the largest stone import and export port in Asia and China. The twice-yearly Buddhist items & crafts fair creates a preferred one-stop purchasing platform for professional buyers, which represents the highest level of development of the Buddhist items & crafts industry in China and even in the world, and promotes the exchange of global Buddhist culture. The industrial fair, which evolved from the Taiwan Trade Fair, has now become the largest and most influential economic and trade exchange event between the two sides of the strait. The cross-strait forum, which has been held for 10 years in a row, has not only promoted the common economic prosperity of the two sides of the strait, but also strengthened the contacts and exchanges between compatriots on both sides of the strait. Chinese Materials Conference 2018 and Xiamen International Materials Week, the most influential high-level academic seminar in the national materials industry, attracted about 6,000 domestic and foreign experts, scholars, and youth technology workers, including more than 20 academicians and experts, to gather in Xiamen to show the highest level and latest research achievements of the current material industry in China and even in the world. This event has contributed to the rapid development of the new material industry, one of the twelve key 100-billion-yuan industry chains developed in Xiamen. Also, more than 30 national and international conferences on medicine and of medical nature were held in Xiamen, including the 20th Chinese Medical Association Orthopaedic Academic Conference and the 13th Annual Congress of Chinese Orthopaedic Association (with 20,000 participants), the 21st Annual Meeting of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) of 2018 (with 12,000 participants), and the Annual Meeting of Chinese Pediatric Society (with 10,000 participants). These events have greatly enhanced Xiamen’s influence in the medical field at home and abroad, boosted academic exchanges at home and abroad, raised the level of medical science and technology in Xiamen, and contributed to the development of 100-billion-yuan industry chain of “biomedicine and health”. Xiamen’s convention and exhibition industry have shownan increasingly prominent platform function and service function to the development of the real industry.

X. Prospects and expectations for 2019

Xiamen still achieved good results concerning the convention and exhibition industry despite the complex and changeable international economic environment and severe competitive pressure in 2018. However, there also exist many difficulties and problems: First, the existing venues are small in size, and the relevant supporting facilities and integrated service functions need to be further optimized. Second, there are few large-scale convention and exhibition projects, and the cultivation and introduction of exhibition subjects and projects remain to be further strengthened. Third, there are few international conference activities, and the conference independent R&D capability remains to be further enhanced. Fourth, cooperation at home and abroad and the introduction of international resources projects remain to be further raised. Fifth, the cultivation of exhibition talents, the introduction of high-end talents and the building of professional teams remain to be further promoted.

2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is also the key year for achieving the first centenary goal by securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, as well as adhering to high-quality development and implementing catch-up. We will earnestly study and implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, and implement the development strategy of the CPC Xiamen Municipal Committee and Xiamen Municipal Government to solidly promote the arrangements of double 100-billion-yuan targets in MICE industry. Oriented to the issues, we will optimize the business environment, make up for the shortcomings and strengthen the chain. By taking the project as the starting point, we will strengthen the cultivation and introduction, strengthen the market subjects and expand the project. Also, we will vigorously enhance the level of internationalization, branding, professionalism and marketization of the convention and exhibition industry, boost the high-quality development of the convention and exhibition industry, push forward the integration of convention and exhibition and related industries, and drive the development of related industries, so as to build a model city of China’s convention and exhibition and a famous international exhibition city.