Shanghai’s range of venues for events and meetings has grown after the World Expo. New facilities include the Mercedes-Benz Arena, World Expo Center, the Theme Pavilion and China Pavilion. On top of that, a new convention and exhibition centre in Hongqiao district is also expected to be completed in the next three years.
However, Shanghai’s MICE industry is still young compared to other Asian destinations and operators are working out how to work more closely together. When asked about working together with other nearby events venues, Guy Ngata, general manager of AEG OPG Culture and Sports Shanghai, which manages the Mercedes-Benz Arena, says: “These venues are being managed separately at the moment by different companies, not like during the Expo when they were all managed by the same organisation.
“But they complement one another very well and we are looking forward to working with them in the long term, he says. “You can hold a convention at the Expo Center, then watch performances and enjoy recreational programmes at the Arena, and then have an event at the China Pavilion, for example.”
International opinion
When Anne Usher, a member of the organising committee of the Econometric Society World Congress 2010, had to find accommodation near the Shanghai International Convention Centre for 1,500 delegates for the five-day event, she was surprised at the ease of the task. “We needed a broad range of accommodation because some attendees were post-graduate students without a large budget,” she says. “We were able to secure 1,500 beds near the convention centre and it was possible – I was amazed. It was perfect.” The organisers managed to secure discounts for room rates as well, according to Usher.
The Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration (SMTA) has also stepped up efforts to boost cooperation within the industry with initiatives such as the Conference Ambassador Programme and setting up a special MICE task force last year.
Ambassador programme
Shanghai’s conference ambassadors are selected professionals who are members of the international professional bodies of their respective fields. After successful bids to host events in Shanghai, SMTA often assists with the organisation and, subsequently, the execution of the conference programme.
Engineering professor Dr Ge Yaojun recalls the support his organising committee received from SMTA. “In May 2009, during the IABSE Workshop attended by 230 people from 23 countries, we had a Chinese Bridge Tour and there was a plaque unveiling ceremony for the Outstanding Structure Award given to Shanghai’s Lupu Bridge,” he says. “SMTA organised the whole ceremony and event, it went very well. We are engineers, we don’t know much about organising ceremonies so it was very helpful. SMTA recommended venues and provided contacts for our sightseeing programmes, hotels and event management.”
As part of the programme, Ge says that meetings are held once or twice a year, during which SMTA briefs conference ambassadors on available resources and the support structure that has been put in place. They also receive regular news and updates.
Local experts
SMTA initiated a special task force last year to help boost Shanghai’s competitiveness as a MICE destination. So far, the task force has close to 30 members from hotels, DMCs and local events companies. Frankie Gao, managing director of MCI China, has praise for SMTA’s initiatives. “SMTA is very active and professional in supporting marketing, promotions and education within the industry. It is doing very well despite having a limited budget,” he says. “But because the industry is new, it needs more support. We have a great array of venues and so many new hotels now – the different companies and venues in the industry should be more active in joining forces to market Shanghai.”