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Amusement is serious business for China |
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By Lim Hui Sin
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IAAPA Asian Expo, Shanghai: drew more than 3,300 people.
Picture by Lim Hui Sin
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China hosted the International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions (IAAPA) Asian Expo for the first time in Shanghai in July.
Although the three-day expo will be held in Bangkok next year, China has won the bid to host it for two more years: Macau in 2008 and Beijing in 2009.
The Shanghai show, which took place at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, was the largest edition and drew more than 3,300 attendees from 65 countries and regions. There were 128 exhibitors, who took up more than 2,520m² of space, 13 per cent bigger than last year’s fair in Hong Kong.
IAAPA second vice-chairman and IAAPA Convention and Trade Show Committee chairman, Mr Bob Masterson, said: “Shanghai was the right decision, as evidenced by the large number of attendees and business we’ve seen.”
More than a quarter of the exhibitors were based in China.
IAAPA president and CEO, Mr Charlie Bray, added: “Coming to China was a solid decision, and we have great opportunities to continue to expand this show in the fastest-growing region in our industry in the world. Our industry is fascinated by the growth in China, by the mobility of the population and the increase in demand for leisure.”
China Association of Amusement Park and Attractions chairman, Mr Liu Jingwang, said almost all medium-sized cities in China had or were building amusement parks. The association’s figures indicate 15,860 amusement parks in China last year.
According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook report, the Asian amusement industry is expected to generate US$8.2 billion in revenue by 2010 at an average yearly revenue growth rate of 5.7 per cent, outstripping any other region in the world.
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