SUZHOU, China, Dec. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Suzhou International Expo Center (SuzhouExpo) announced recently that its third phase of construction, which includes Suzhou Jinji Lake International Conference Center and Novotel Suzhou SIP, will be fully completed in March 2016. Once completed, the expo center's overall indoor exhibition area will expand to 100,000 sqm and the outdoor exhibition area will be extended to 60,000 sqm, while a 50,000 sqm multi-function meeting space, 60 meeting rooms, an 8,000 sqm, column-free banquet hall and a 307-room world-class hotel will be added.
SuzhouExpo chairman Yin Weidong said: "Suzhou today is a modern city that already has a strong economic foundation in place that is growing rapidly. The city is already very competitive in terms of revenue and the resultant tax contribution to the central authorities as well as foreign trade and foreign capital utilization, among other key indicators. In 2014 the city was named the world's preferred meeting destination by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Thanks to these unique advantages, SuzhouExpo has been the venue for over 1,000 large events since opening in 2004. The 53rd World Table Tennis Championships, the Valve World Asia Expo & Conference, BLECH China, the 47th International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) World Congress and many other international exhibition events have taken place there."
Suzhou International Expo Center is located in the heart of China's Yangtze River delta, and just a 40-minute drive from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. High-speed inter-city railways reach two of Shanghai's train stations in 20 minutes and both of Nanjing's in 60. Line 1 of Suzhou Rail Transit, the city's metro system, connects Suzhou Culture Expo Center with SuzhouExpo.
Suzhou's exhibition-driven economy has developed rapidly in recent years. In addition to traditional industries such as electronics, steel, electrical engineering, chemicals and general equipment manufacturing, the number of exhibitions hosting emerging industries such as new materials, high-end equipment manufacturing, biotechnology, new medicines and new energies has been growing rapidly. The more recent exhibitions have been more industry-specific and influential.
As one of the largest, most complete modern convention centers in China, SuzhouExpo has been the venue for 45 exhibitions in 2015, which when added together occupy an exhibition area of 750,000 sqm. During the year 32 conferences took place at the center, with a combined attendance of more than 53,000 visitors. The proximity to a rich variety of performing arts facilities, businesses, advertising agencies, hotel accommodations and access to several modes of transport in addition to the flexibility in space layout make the center an ideal choice for an event from a location perspective.
Suzhou's profound historical culture lends to the wide range of restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities that are located in the immediate vicinity. More than 40 hotels including Novotel Suzhou SIP, Intercontinental and Hyatt provide accommodations for any size of convention or exhibition event. Nearby points of interest such as Peach Blossom Island, Ligong Causeway Waterfront Street and Chongyuan Temple make the choice of the center as the venue more compelling. A bustling commercial community consisting of iStation, Moonlight Wharf, Eslite Bookstore and Shin Kong Place (SKP) in addition to other shopping malls offer conveninent shopping options to visitors.
The general manager of Valve World Expo and Conference Asia 2015, in praising the service that he received, said: "As the organizer, we think highly of Suzhou International Expo Center's professionalism, timeliness, and service-readiness. It not only provided us with superior facilities, the professionalism of the center's young, skilled staff served as a guarantee for a successful event."
