Thirty years of staggering economic growth and infrastructure development has transformed China’s first Special Economic Zone into an international business hub. Large-scale international events are beginning to arrive including the biennial World Cancer Congress from August 18-21.

Peggy Lau, regional general manager, Pacific World Hong Kong, says: “The quality of the new international hotels and convention centre make Shenzhen an attractive option for mid-sized regional meetings. The facilities are often less expensive and more readily available than in Hong Kong. It is also convenient for delegates wanting to visit suppliers or stay on in southern China.”

LUOHU
The city’s original commercial district is located on the main border crossing with Hong Kong. Shangri-La (522 rooms) was the city’s first international hotel and has served as a pseudo-embassy, trading house and rendezvous for decades. Its top-floor circular restaurant, 360°, offers fine dining with views across the city for groups of up to 180 people.

New to the area is Grand Hyatt (443 rooms and 48 long-stay apartments), which is part of a mixed-use development including the China Resources Building. The hotel includes the brand’s popular residential-style meeting facility The Mansion, as well as two ballrooms and 11 meeting rooms.

FUTIAN
The city’s newest CBD is anchored by the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre, a world-class facility with 105,000 sqm of exhibition space. Ritz-Carlton (282) is located opposite and offers nine function rooms over 1,300 sqm, including a 600 sqm ballroom with 8.5m-high ceilings. Mercedes-Benz, Citibank, Lenovo and Christian Dior have held events here, while Louis Vuitton hosted a dinner party at poolside venue, Leaves.

Futian Shangri-La offers the city’s most diverse range of event spaces including a large ballroom, residential-style facility and several breakout rooms that make it wellsuited for mid-sized conferences.

The highlight, however, is the Chairman’s Room, a residential facility of a different kind, which includes a fireplace, library and openair space for private dining and receptions. Amway and Air China have held events here.

Smaller groups should consider the JW Marriott (411). Four Points by Sheraton (446) and Marco Polo (328) are also nearby.

NANSHAN
Westin Shenzhen Nanshan (350) opened earlier this year and offers a good mix of meeting spaces, including a 1,000 sqm ballroom with an eight-metre-high ceiling.





InterContinental (540) can host events for 1,500 people in its meeting spaces or, for something different, in the Spanish galleon atop the hotel. Crowne Plaza (368) has seven meeting rooms, the largest of which holds 700 people.

Further afield, Mission Hills Golf Club has upmarket accommodation and recreational facilities including multiple championship golf courses, a spa and tennis centre.