2007 edition of Hotelex Shanghai its biggest ever

By Lynn Ng

As China gears up to host the world when it stages the Olympic Games next year and also the World Expo in 2010, the country’s hospitality industry is experiencing a growth spurt.

This has led to a significant jump in the number of exhibitors signing up for the 16th edition of Hotelex Shanghai which is taking place next month, according to show organiser CMP Sinoexpo. Nearly 800 domestic and foreign companies have confirmed their presence, up from 654 last year.

This year’s fair will be the biggest yet. CMP Sinoexpo said the event is “bursting at its seams” as it seeks to accommodate food, furniture, textiles and kitchen equipment suppliers into 50,000 sq m of exhibition space.

Of note are the specialty exhibitions that are expected to draw the crowds like Laundry China and Coffee & Tea China, as well as the China Barista Finals which will return for the fifth time. The top barista selected will go on to represent China in the prestigious World Barista Championship.

CMP Sinoexpo, together with the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission (SMTAC) and China Tourism News Press, will also hold a forum during the exhibition to help industry players look into ways in which they can grow their business by capitalising on the opportunities offered by the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Entitled “The Opportunity of Olympic Games and World Expo 2010: How to Build, Innovate and Develop the China Hotel Industry”, the forum, which will be conducted in Mandarin, will deal with topics like national standards in energy savings, health and environment protection, trends in interior designs and how to serve Expo 2010 visitors.

Hotelex Shanghai 2007 will be held from April 4 to 7 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC).