Business Opportunities For Hotels Near Exhibition Centers In Chongqing And Chengdu

Each year more than 400,000 international conventions are held worldwide and the direct and indirect economic benefits exceed USD280 billion. The large potential of the industry in China, and the high returns, have attracted many governmental and non-governmental institutions to invest in the new business. Here we review some of the offerings in Chongqing And Chengdu.

Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center
Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center is located in the core business area of Nan'an district. It is one of the large, comprehensive convention and exhibition venues in western China with the most advanced and complete facilities, and is an important venue for domestic and international large-scale conventions, exhibitions, and other business and cultural activities.

Construction of the center was completed in 2005, and consists of two main buildings: an exhibition center and a convention center. The exhibition center includes 58,000 square meters of indoor exhibition halls with a capacity of 3,100 standard booths and a 13,000-square meter outdoor square for opening ceremonies and other activities by exhibitors. The convention center has 33 meeting rooms of different sizes including a lecture hall, a ballroom, multifunctional rooms, a press center, a VIP reception room and others. Meeting facilities include digital conference systems and a simultaneous interpretation system for six languages.

Since its opening, Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center has undertaken a lot of influential large-scale exhibitions and conferences, such as the 2005 Asia Pacific Cities Summit with participants from 41 countries and 123 cities, the 54th PHARMCHINA, the 5th Hong Kong Real Estate Service and City Development Expo, the 2nd Academic Congress of International Chinese Neurosurgical Sciences, the China Chongqing International Auto Industry Fair, the Mayor of Chonqing's International Economic Advisory Council, the 2007 (Spring) National Sugar and Wine Fair, and the China Chongqing International Investment and Global Sourcing Fair.

Hotels Nearby

Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an
Le Meridien Chongqing, offers convenience at its very doorstep since it is the first luxury brand hotel situated in the up and coming Nan'an district. Being within walking distance the hotel's location positions it as a good choice for anyone attending events staged at the Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center.

For meetings and events the hotel's facilities incorporate the largest ballroom in the city with an area of 1,093 square meters.

According to general manager Timothy O'Driscoll, the MICE market is a very important segment as it contributes revenue generation to all areas of the hotel, from rooms and food and beverage, to meetings. Though the hotel only opened six months ago, it has already hosted many successful MICE events. A factor in the success of each event has been the hotel's ability to work alongside the MICE planner and to adapt quickly to last minute changes requested by the planner. The team must understand the pressure each planner is under and be accessible at all times during the event to rapidly execute changes and special requests in all areas of the hotel. Communication and follow through within every department is key to the event being a success.

Howard Johnson ITC Plaza Chongqing
The hotel is located in the heart of Central Business District and just 10 minutes' drive from Chongqing International Convention & Exhibition Center, and 30 minutes' drive from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street is a short walk away, with a number of business buildings and many branch offices of international companies.

The 860-square-meter grand ballroom and four multi-function rooms can cater for various requests from guests. The Chongqing Grand Ballroom with its six-meter high ceiling is the most spacious pillar-less event venue in Yuzhong district, and has a capacity of between 500 to 700 guests in various alternative set-ups. The professional meeting and events management team is set to meet guests' expectations to ensure a successful meeting right from the start: from negotiations to on site coordination of an event. The 436 rooms provide guaranteed accommodation for large-scale conferences and exhibitions.

Buyer's Review

Impressive Meeting Services
According to the executive assistant of Nike Sports (China) Co., Ltd. Chengdu Branch, Liao Xiaojuan, the company held Nike regional conference in the Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center for the first time. The event lasted for one week with 120 participants. The opening ceremony dinner party for 70 people was held in Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an.

Liao said, the company would choose multifunctional meeting rooms with capacity of 50 to 100 people in five-star hotels for dinner parties, and their requirements include a spacious place, good lighting conditions, a projector and audio equipment, and convenient traffic. A hotel's brand, service, surroundings, transport, area, and number and cost of meeting rooms, are all taken into consideration. Liao says that Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an has great meeting spaces and supporting facilities and services. The hotel will change the arrangement of the meeting venue according to the guest's requirements, and the technical department will offer timely service for audio equipment and projectors. The company has also chosen the hotel to supply accommodation and Liao says it has been praised for the fine in-room facilities and room service.

A Good Location Is Important
Liu Jihao, who works at Chongqing Times told China Hospitality News that the automobile office of Chongqing Times would usually hold three events each year in Chongqing: a customer appreciation meeting following the Spring Festival, a forum during the China Chongqing International Auto Industry Fair, and an awards dinner party at the end of the year. Around 100 to 150 people would attend these events.

Convenient transport, comprehensive supporting facilities, fine surroundings, and proper space are the main factors that Liu considers when choosing a venue.

If the events are to be held in hotels, five-star ones would be the company's first choice. Other requirements including a meeting room of 500 square meters, comfortable, peaceful, and large guest rooms; convenient transport to Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center, the commercial district, and the airport; fine surroundings with good sanitary conditions; and various cuisines that can meet the tastes of most people.

Chongqing Times has chosen many hotels when holding various events, including Howard Johnson ITC Plaza Chongqing, Harbour Plaza Chongqing, Sofitel Forebase Chongqing, Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an, Hilton Chongqing, Days Hotel & Suites Chongqing, InterContinental Chongqing, JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, Empark Grand Hotel, Chongqing, and King World Hotel, Chongqing. Out of all of these hotels, Liu prefers Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an with new facilities and cozy rooms because it is close to the exhibition center and has easy access to the airport.

Chengdu

New International Convention and Exposition Center, Century City
The center is located in New Tianfu City, which includes the exhibition venue, commercial buildings, a hotel, office buildings, residences, a central park, a lake, and public facilities. It is a complex for meetings, exhibitions, cultural tourism, business, and residence. The center was put into operation on December 28, 2004. In August 2006, Pride International Convention Center and Holiday Inn Chengdu West Century City opened for business; InterContinental Century City Chengdu celebrated its soft opening at the end of 2007 and its grand opening in January 2008.

The 150,000-square-meter exhibition venue at the center has the best display conditions and efficiency in China. The 100,000-square-meter Pride International Convention Center has 28 meeting venues and is among the best international convention centers in China with the most complete, diversified, and modern functions. Holiday Inn Chengdu West Century City and InterContinental Century City Chengdu have a total of 1,500 rooms, and are capable of meeting the demands of international and domestic exhibitions and meetings. The Boutique Plaza, the West Shu Bridges Walk Valley ,and Commercial House form a complete set of featured areas to complement the exhibition hall.

Hotel Nearby

InterContinental Century City Chengdu
The 555-room hotel is in the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, near the New International Convention and Exposition Center.

Accommodation includes The 1,670 square meters Presidential Suite with five deluxe rooms, each furnished with a bath tub. The hotel also has a well-equipped modern conference center, as well as several restaurants and lounges offering different cuisines. The Pride Convention Center, operated by InterContinental Century City Chengdu, offers a wide variety of exclusive venues for meetings, conferences and private functions. There are 24 multi-purpose meeting rooms of varying sizes, each utilizing the latest presentation technology. The Crystal ballroom, with an area of 2,800 square meters, is the largest pillar-less ballroom in western China. It can accommodate up to 2,800 people and can also be divided into six convenient venues to suit the needs of various groups.