Shanghai's Pudong New Area has unveiled a new set of measures to leverage a comprehensive policy mix in industry support, industry collaboration, talent support, service guarantees and other key areas.

The measures are all designed to showcase Pudong's business environment and overall advantages — further galvanizing its exhibition economy.

Elevating exhibition quality

The measures outline nine specific actions that have been divided into three areas: nurturing high-quality exhibitions, enhancing spillover effects and strengthening service guarantees.

For leading, high-quality and innovative exhibitions, financial support of up to 1 million yuan ($138,950), 600,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan will, respectively, be provided after an comprehensive evaluation process.

"These measures offer more than just financial support — they represent a strategic approach to further elevate the internationalization and professionalism of Pudong's exhibition industry," said Cao Lei, deputy director of the Pudong New Area commission of commerce.

"We also hope that exhibition companies will be recognized as regional headquarters of multinational corporations in Pudong to enhance their own capabilities and standards," Cao added.

To date, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) have established representative offices in Pudong.

Leading exhibition companies including Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co Ltd have been recognized as HQ enterprises.

Fostering exhibition growth

Pudong has long regarded the exhibition industry as being pioneering and pivotal. It's continuously clustered and cultivated business entities and functional platforms in the sector, attracting internationally influential exhibitions that agree with local industries to be held in the area throughout the year.

In 2024, it hosted a total of 217 exhibitions in economy and trade — with an accumulative exhibition area of 8.66 million square meters — accounting for nearly half of the city's total and attracting 133,000 exhibitors and more than 8 million trade visitors.

Of these, 23 were mammoth exhibitions each with an area exceeding 100,000 sq m, including the China International Furniture Expo.

In particular, Pudong's international exhibitions accounted for 92.2 percent of its total number of shows and 94.3 percent of the total exhibitions area — underscoring its high level of internationalization.

Mark Cochrane, regional director of UFI Asia Pacific, said he sees Shanghai — particularly Pudong — as the biggest exhibition market by far in Asia.

Cochrane added that he believes that Pudong possesses all the essential factors for a thriving exhibition industry, including high-quality venues, reputable organizers and unwavering local government support.

He said that when these elements are combined, the exhibition industry will be boosted towards even more positive development.

In recent years, Pudong has introduced a series of initiatives to promote the high-quality development of its exhibition economy and to bolster the economic drivers behind exhibitions.

These efforts have included attracting exhibitors, investors and trade visitors, promoting the collaboration of quality cultural and consumer exhibitions with major events and consumption plans in the city and in the area.

They have also included offering one-stop services in intellectual property protection — as well as fast-tracking of customs clearance of exhibits and entries and exits of exhibition participants.

Bolstering debut economy

In a major breakthrough, three "debut exhibitions" for the current year — the 2025 Organic Festa Asia, the 2025 China International Finance Expo and the 2025 Tomorrow City Shanghai — have signed agreements to be held in Pudong.

The 2025 Organic Festa Asia is set to take place in September at the Shanghai New International Expo Center — covering the entire organic industry chain from support systems, production, processing and trade to personal consumption scenarios.

"Three-fourths of the 13 exhibitions that our company is responsible for are held in Pudong. We have great trust in Pudong," said Gu Yan, general manager of exhibitions mega organizer Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co Ltd.

"This trust stems from the robust support of the Pudong government, various policy incentives, excellent facilities at the exhibition venues — as well as strong support from surrounding services and relevant departments such as the customs, all of which greatly aid us in organizing exhibitions," she added.

Source: Pudong Times