The show is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) and INTEX Shanghai and last year attracted a record 419 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions and 18,522 visitors from 85 countries and regions.
Commenting on this year's show, Mr Evan Sha, deputy general manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd said, "We have expanded the exhibition space by 40 percent to 35,000sq.m to accommodate a strong demand from our exhibitors for bigger booths. The extra space also allows us to make sourcing easier for buyers as halls will be segmented into the categories of audio, visual, lighting and stage equipment and AV integrated products."
Under the Chinese government's 12th 'Five-Year Plan', 11 cultural sectors are marked for development. These include the performing arts and entertainment industries. For example, 10 national and regional theatres and concert halls, particularly in China's second and third-tier cities, will be constructed.
The government's continuous support of the cultural industry has resulted in a considerable increase in the number of performances taking place in Eastern China. According to the China Statistical Yearbook 2011, Eastern China held 394,050 shows in 2010 (a rise of 63.1 percent compared to 2009). This figure accounted for 48.6 percent of performances in China.
(Jim Evans)
