China expo chiefs warn of mega-venue glut

China’s exhibition venues face a glut of empty space in certain areas with mounting frustration among investors, senior industry executives have warned.

Reed Exhibitions’ recent China Summit in Shanghai attended by staff and business partners heard that too many ‘super-size venues’ had been planned across the country’s provinces.

Chen Xianjin, executive vice-president of exhibition association UFI, and chairman of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said the exhibition industry in mainland China required only three of four of these mega venues. Instead, venues of below 200,000 sqm were more suited to the market.

His views were backed by Reed Exhibitions Greater China president, Nat Wong (main picture). Wong said in an interview with CEI Asia that Shenzhen and Shanghai were the cities with a ‘clear and pressing’ need for new venues. He said he believed there was no clear demand for extra space in Beijing and certain other areas.

Though some of the large venues were market focused, he said there were no ‘immediate business echoes’ for other huge projects. He said now was the time for authorities to reconsider how large venues were planned.

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