Organized by the Chongqing Municipal People's Government and co-hosted by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, Chongqing Municipal Tourism Administration, Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau, and Chongqing Port and Shipping Administration, the highly anticipated 2012 China (Chongqing) International Leisure Industry Expo concluded successfully on September 23 at the Chongqing International Convention and Exhibition Center.
The expo continued to uphold the fashionable theme of "Healthy Leisure, Quality Living." Based in western China but with a global perspective, it focused on promoting Chongqing’s high-quality modern leisure resources, guiding and advocating healthy and stylish modern leisure concepts and lifestyles, striving to play an active role in promoting leisure consumption and industry development across western China and even nationwide.
This year’s expo had a clear theme and distinct features. Thanks to careful organization and strong support from all parties, it achieved new highs in various aspects including exhibition area and number of exhibitors, showcasing the following characteristics:
1. Significant Growth in Exhibition Scale.This year’s expo featured four major themes and six exhibition zones: leisure yachts, luxury RVs, outdoor gear, and fishing tackle. The exhibition area expanded significantly to 22,000 square meters, equivalent to 1,000 international standard booths, marking a 46% increase in total booth numbers compared to 2011. It attracted over 600 domestic and international leisure-related companies, an increase from 2011, with yacht exhibitors up 98%, RVs up 38%, outdoor gear up 27%, fishing tackle up 20%, and new additions including leisure real estate and scenic spots. Thanks to the organizers’ strong promotional efforts and meticulous planning, the event drew enthusiastic crowds. Over the three-day expo, 32,000 professional buyers and approximately 230,000 general visitors attended, filling the venue with dense, bustling foot traffic.
2. Further Elevation in Exhibition Quality.Among the 600+ exhibitors, 63.8% were from outside Chongqing. International brands accounted for 61%, greatly enhancing the expo’s internationalization, especially with major breakthroughs in high-end, cutting-edge leisure categories such as yachts and RVs, significantly raising the overall quality of the exhibition. The proportion of companies using customized, high-end exhibition designs also rose markedly, reaching 69%.
3. Fruitful Transaction Results.According to statistics, on-site transactions reached over 93 million yuan, with intended transactions surpassing one billion yuan. The American luxury yacht brand REGAL made an on-site sale of one yacht for 2.26 million yuan, while the American GMC business RV, known as the “land first-class cabin,” also sold one unit on-site. All physical yachts exhibited were fully booked. Exhibitor feedback also indicated nearly thirty orders for fishing boats.
4. Diverse Promotion Strategies.To ensure the successful organization of this expo and establish it as the “top in western China and first-class nationwide” leisure event, the organizing committee put significant effort into planning, exhibitor recruitment, and promotion. They extensively and earnestly invited exhibitors and organized professional buyers. Through interactive activities on the official Weibo account of the Chongqing Municipal Government Information Office, close collaboration with Chongqing Times, and promotions via Hualong Net, Dayu Net, the official expo website, Chongqing Business Daily, Chongqing Morning Post, Sina Weibo, Tencent Weibo, Jiefangbei large-screen advertisements, bus mobile TV, and light rail station posters, the expo received extensive publicity across professional media, elevating its visibility through multi-faceted and comprehensive coverage.
5. Rapidly Growing Social Impact.The expo attracted buyers and dealers from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hainan, Jiangsu, Fujian, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi, and other regions. The high-quality service, along with a notable increase in the professionalism and purposefulness of attendees, combined with excellent organization and management and outstanding sales results, further enhanced the expo’s influence within the industry. It has become a branded expo in western China. It received widespread praise from exhibitors, many of whom expressed optimism about the leisure expo and plans to participate again next year.
The successful hosting of the expo further demonstrates that modern leisure is not only a contemporary lifestyle but also a vision and trend for urban leisure development. Paying attention to and supporting the leisure industry holds great promise.