On November 15, the press conference for the 2019 China Sports Culture Expo and China Sports Tourism Expo (hereinafter referred to as the “Two Expos”) was held at the Guangzhou Press Center. Guests including Huang Jin, Deputy Director of the Sports Culture Development Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Zhang Jianhua, Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, Tan Aiyin, Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Sports Bureau, and Zhu Dongfang, Vice President of IDG Asia, as well as members of the media, were present.
The Two Expos will be held from November 28 to 30, 2019, at the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center Expo. The China Sports Culture Expo is jointly organized by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Olympic Committee; the China Sports Tourism Expo is co-hosted by the All-China Sports Federation, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the China Tourism Association. Both expos are jointly organized by the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, the Sports Culture Development Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, International Data Group (IDG), and IDG Sports Co., Ltd.
At the press conference, Zhang Jianhua, Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, said that currently the whole country attaches great importance to the sports industry. Hosting national-level sports culture and sports tourism exhibitions in Guangzhou will greatly promote the city’s efforts to elevate the construction of a national central city to a new level and focus on building an international metropolis. Since 2018, the Two Expos have been held in Guangzhou for five consecutive years, becoming a new highlight in the development of Guangzhou’s sports culture and industry. This year’s Two Expos have undergone a comprehensive upgrade in terms of internationalization of industrial services, authoritativeness of industry resources, focus on industrial innovation, overall development of the industry, and diversification of business matchmaking, striving to enhance the scale, brand value, and international influence of the expos, promote industrial integration, and achieve a new level in exhibition organization and event hosting.
Aiming to showcase the development achievements of the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, promote sports reform to enhance socioeconomic value, and drive high-quality development through industrial innovation and upgrading, the Two Expos emphasize a people-centered approach and incorporate the concept of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Huang Jin, Deputy Director of the Sports Culture Development Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, pointed out that the 2019 Two Expos will be guided by the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and aligned with the “Outline for Building a Leading Sports Nation.” They will strengthen reform and innovation, offering richer content, more diverse formats, and a wider range of activities. Visitors will not only be able to experience the charm of sports culture and sports tourism, feel the spirit, value, and strength of sports, but also learn about the latest developments and trends in the sports industry, grasp the opportunities in the sports industry, and understand its future directions.
As an expo undergoing reform and innovation, this year’s highlights include: strengthening cultural leadership, grasping the pulse of the times, and showcasing the achievements of sports development in the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China; gathering high-end resources, emphasizing policy guidance, and creating a series of high-level authoritative forums; enriching sports culture and sports tourism products, and focusing on leveraging the value of sports in promoting economic and social development.
Deputy Director Huang Jin stated that 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the expo, themed “Seventy Glorious Years, A New Starting Point for Sports,” aims to showcase the glorious achievements of Chinese sports over the past 70 years and tell touching stories of Chinese sports during this period. As the only expo approved by the State Council and solely organized by the General Administration of Sport of China, this year’s event will reflect the standards of national-level achievements, national-level policy guidance, national-level planning, and national-level exhibition organization. Heads of the Policy and Regulation Department, Mass Sports Department, Youth and Sports Department, Economic Department, and Propaganda Department of the General Administration of Sport of China, as well as officials from provincial and municipal sports bureaus, will gather at the expo. They will closely focus on hot issues in building a leading sports nation and economic and social development, interpret policies related to the implementation of national strategies such as nationwide fitness and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote sports for key groups such as youth, and discuss the popularization and development of hot sports such as skiing and mountaineering. They will also explore integrated and innovative development across sports, culture, tourism, and education, taking concrete actions to implement the requirements of the “Outline for Building a Leading Sports Nation.” The expo has especially incorporated the concept of the international Greater Bay Area, aiming to serve the national strategy of coordinated development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, focusing on sports culture and tourism in the region, emphasizing industrial agglomeration and integration, leading regional integration and innovation in sports culture and the sports industry, and driving and serving the prosperity of the Greater Bay Area. In addition to supporting activities such as the promotion of premium sports tourism projects, the expo has introduced for the first time an exhibition of outstanding sports culture creative design products and the China Sports Culture and Tourism Venture Capital Forum & Project Matching event, to further promote the integration of the sports, culture, and tourism industries.
Zhu Dongfang, Vice President of International Data Group Asia, introduced the exhibition and solicitation status of the expos. This year’s Two Expos cover an exhibition area of over 46,000 square meters and have attracted over 400 exhibitors from both home and abroad, including the National Olympic Sports Center, Beijing Sport University, the Sports Lottery Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Beijing Olympic Park Management Committee, and sports bureaus from various provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. The Organizing Committee of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics will make its debut. Well-known sports brands from France, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, the United States, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Slovenia have confirmed their participation.
The 2019 China Sports Culture Expo and China Sports Tourism Expo will concurrently host the China International Sports Culture and Sports Tourism Summit Forum – Main Forum, the Main Forum & Sports Directors’ Forum, and over 10 series forums. More than a hundred representative figures from the global sports culture and sports tourism fields will be invited, including World Badminton Federation President Poul-Erik Høyer, International Equestrian Federation President and IOC member Ingmar De Vos, and Secretary-General of the World Badminton Federation Thomas Lund. The event will also gather high-quality resources from major sports events such as Ligue 1, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Premier League, Chinese Super League, Tour de France, and F1, forming a service chain for the development of sports culture and the sports industry.
A series of high-quality project activities will be carried out concurrently, including special recommendations for sports events and sports technology innovation promotions. On-site dedicated buyer matchmaking and online business pairing activities will be set up to provide comprehensive services for exhibiting companies and teams, helping them expand channels and connect with resources. The site will feature a range of business activities such as business negotiations, online business investment matchmaking, Buyers’ Night, corporate showcases, and outstanding project promotions, facilitating the connection and implementation of quality sports culture projects with capital. On one hand, it provides participating companies with a high-return platform for brand showcasing, while also helping exhibitors quickly identify suitable business partners based on their needs, accurately match business demands, and conveniently achieve on-site business communication.
At the same time, a variety of supporting activities have been arranged for sports enthusiasts, including performances of traditional Chinese sports culture, basketball experiences, football experiences, RV experiences, ice and snow experiences, mind sports games, and public stage shows. These activities aim to engage the public, enhance the entertainment and experiential aspects of the expo, promote the dissemination of sports culture, spark a nationwide sports craze, and support the in-depth popularization of sports culture among the people.