Guangzhou Pazhou Exhibition Center .
"Although the entire industry is lying down now, we are still trying to find ways to crawl forward." Hao Jun, general manager of Guangzhou Xima Exhibition Co., Ltd., described the current situation of Guangzhou Convention and Exhibition Company to a reporter from Nandu.
Due to the epidemic, exhibitions across the country were canceled or postponed in February and March, and the entire industry came to a standstill. However, many people with lofty ideals in the industry are still calmly observing the latest developments of the situation and keeping a close eye on the business opportunities that may follow.
Now because of the epidemic, everyone has no work to do. When the epidemic passes and others have work to do, you still have no work to do. This is what makes some exhibition companies the most painful. Every exhibition company must think about a question from now on: In this knockout competition in which the strong are stronger and the weak are weaker, how can their company seize the opportunity to survive or even live better.
——Liu Songping, President of the Guangdong Convention and Exhibition Organizers Association
Big-name exhibitions such as the Guangzhou Beauty Expo have all been postponed
March to April every year is the traditional peak season for exhibitions. Industry leading exhibitions and super exhibitions are all chosen to be held intensively during this period. According to historical data, the number of exhibitions in Guangdong Province in these two months accounts for about 20% of the whole year, and the exhibition area accounts for more than 30% of the whole year. Guangzhou, which ranks third in the country in the convention and exhibition industry and ranks first in South China, had a total of 65 conventions and exhibitions held in the Pazhou region from February to April last year, before the Spring Canton Fair, with an average of 1.5 conventions and exhibitions held every day.
With the outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia, Guangzhou’s peak exhibition season this spring was interrupted.
“The entire industry is on its knees.” Hao Jun, general manager of Guangzhou Xima Exhibition Co., Ltd., told Nandu reporters that the company originally had two professional exhibitions in Guangzhou in June, but now they have been postponed to September. It is not yet possible to accurately estimate What is the impact on the exhibition business? If it can be done later, the performance will drop by about 10%, otherwise it will reach 80%.
A questionnaire survey of members by the Guangdong Convention and Exhibition Enterprises Association showed that as of the end of March, no less than 100 exhibitions in the province had been confirmed to be canceled or postponed. At present, some industry brand exhibitions in Guangzhou, such as the Guangzhou Beauty Expo and the Guangzhou Wedding Expo, have been postponed. Traditional exhibitions in Shenzhen, such as the Shenzhen Machinery Exhibition and the Shenzhen Jewelry Expo, have also been postponed. The
survey also showed that more than half of the companies surveyed saw their exhibition business drop by more than 50% in the first quarter, and more than 60% of the companies surveyed saw their exhibition business drop by more than 30% in the first half of the year.
The industry generally expects that the exhibition industry will gradually recover after the epidemic, but if exhibitions scheduled in February and March are postponed to April and May, it will squeeze the exhibitions originally held in April and May. At present, many exhibition halls are bound to be "big but not small" under the constraints of limited schedules. Brand exhibitions such as the Canton Fair and Guangzhou Beauty Expo will definitely be given priority, while some smaller non-brand exhibitions may not be Enough schedule. Behind this, small and medium-sized exhibition companies will be even more impacted.
"Exhibition companies may be doing better, and they can get through it after a while. Our booth construction is the most difficult. We are all small and medium-sized engineering teams, and they collapsed without any work." Dai Junji, chairman of Picasso Exhibition explain.
" We have received requests from Korean companies to participate in the exhibition "
" In the past, when the market was good, the same company could participate in five or six exhibitions of the same type across the country. This year, they may only participate in two, three or even one. Why do people come to the exhibition organized by you under such circumstances?”
In the interview, Wang Dengyun, president of Guangdong Hongwei International Exhibition Group Co., Ltd. , told reporters in Nandu that he has the ability of an exhibition company that has a solid foundation and can develop new business for client companies. Live better.
Many of the professional exhibitions that Wang Dengyun’s company undertakes are global, with hundreds or even thousands of foreign buyers coming each time. Judging from the current development of the epidemic, the impact of this part will be serious, but he is considering trying to provide local purchasing agents to foreign buyers who cannot come to assist in the exhibition.
Liu Songping also agrees with Wang Dengyun’s view.The stagnation in sales caused by the epidemic will make companies urgently need to repair their market operation systems after the epidemic, and industrial exhibitions are still one of the most cost-effective ways. It depends on who can seize the opportunity.
As one of the top ten private exhibition companies in the country, Wang Dengyun is full of confidence. His company's three exhibitions in Guangzhou in March have all been postponed, but Wang Dengyun said that the morale within the company has not been affected at present. The company has not given employees unpaid leave or cut wages. On the contrary, it is preparing to recruit more people to prepare for the future. Market development and manpower reserve.
Wang Dengyun believes that after the epidemic, many foreign merchants may need to establish new supply chain networks in China, and this part of the demand can be actively developed. In addition, compared with the more severe situation in Europe and the United States, Southeast Asia is basically stable, and companies can focus on developing this part of the market. “Recently, our company has received requests from Korean companies to participate in exhibitions, because they know that China is now the safest. .”
Shenzhen International Convention and Exhibition Center was officially opened on November 3 last year. Photographed by Nandu reporter Zhao Yanxiong
"We have received many inquiries from online exhibitions"
As a group activity with large-scale crowds, the epidemic has caused the exhibition industry to start thinking about two brand-new topics: how to create a sterile exhibition, that is, hold an exhibition while ensuring public health safety; how to integrate Internet technology and the exhibition industry to better empower the exhibition industry through the most popular live broadcasts, short videos and other means.
"In the past few days, I have suddenly received inquiries from many exhibition companies, asking to help them organize online exhibitions." Wei Wei, vice chairman of Guangzhou Tengwei Exhibition Co., Ltd., told Nandu reporters that the epidemic has changed traditional offline exhibitions and online exhibitions. The integration of exhibitions has become increasingly urgent.
However, according to Wei Wei's observation, although many professional exhibitions currently have online exhibition content, the experience is not good. Some only put some consultation, exhibitor information, and exhibit information online for everyone to see, and some simply increase online shopping. And the live broadcast sector has not really taken advantage of the huge amount of big data on the Internet. In the future,
will create virtual exhibition halls through 3D modeling of venues, use algorithms to match buyers and exhibitors, and promote the highlights of exhibitions to attract traffic. Wei Wei believes that this will be a new growth.
In addition, Wei Wei believes that the current exhibition security organization is more focused on maintaining public security order, and investment in public health security must be increased in the post-anti-epidemic era. The construction and organization of smart venues have put forward higher requirements for the execution capabilities of exhibition companies.
Informa Exhibitions Asia CEO Ma Ying also emphasized that B2B business docking still requires offline meetings, but online content marketing and live broadcasts can be strengthened first, and online technical assistance such as security code fast lanes can be provided to exhibitors.
Shunde Tanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center. Photographed by Nandu reporter Zheng Junbin
Our booth construction companies are trying to "compete upstream"
Downstream supporting booth construction companies are also trying to find new business growth points, trying to expand from simple booth construction to one-stop services for corporate large-scale event packaging and planning.
As a downstream supporting enterprise in the exhibition industry, Dai Junji's company now mainly relies on building internal exhibition halls and online sales live broadcast rooms for customer companies it has accumulated in the past. This business can still keep the company running. Dai Junji, chairman of
Picasso Exhibition, analyzed that in the past, the company only helped customer companies build booths and exhibition halls, but now it is also trying to find ways to attract other partners. Recently, it has been helping partners with business training through live broadcasts, and also helped them obtain orders.
For example, some companies have to hold large-scale activities after finishing their exhibition halls, which require event planning companies. They need to rent multimedia audio equipment and find equipment companies. There are also companies that need marketing packaging for online live broadcasts. "As long as my partners and I can meet the requirements, If we all work together to meet the needs of customer companies, there will definitely be market opportunities.”
However, compared with how new technologies will empower the exhibition industry in the future, the more pressing matter right now is the restart of the exhibition industry after the epidemic.
“The reopening of large-scale exhibitions is a benchmark. When it opens, the entire industry will begin to recover."
President answered Nandu's question
I hope to ensure that postponed exhibitions will not be cancelled
Nandu: What changes do you think this industry needs to make most?
Liu Songping: Every exhibition company must think about a question from now on: Here In a knockout competition where the strong are stronger and the weak are weaker, how can your company seize the opportunity to survive or even live better?
Nandu: What suggestions do you have for the government's support policies?
Liu Songping: The most popular government departments at the moment. The most important thing is to ensure that postponed exhibitions are not cancelled, and try to complete them with high quality. In particular, we can communicate with the industry in advance before the exhibition industry restarts. The preliminary work of an exhibition requires at least two months of preparation period, and government departments must do their best. Enterprises should be given as much time as possible.
Nandu: Can you use one sentence to cheer up your peers?
Liu Songping: The stagnation in sales caused by the epidemic will make it urgent for enterprises to repair their market operation systems after the epidemic, and industrial exhibitions are still the most cost-effective. One way is to see who can seize the opportunity.
Welcome to join the "One Hundred and Thousand Enterprises Promotion 2020" queue
Don't let the epidemic become your crisis and other people's opportunity! Since the resumption of work and production this year, whether it is the industry elite or the Experts and scholars have repeatedly reminded colleagues in the industry that
2020 is the year to realize a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and it is also the final year of the 13th Five-Year Plan. Social development goals are the direction of efforts from all walks of life this year.
In order to give full play to the advantages of think tank media, Nandu will use the APP to build the "Nandu Hyperlink" platform, and launch industry research reports, A series of products such as open courses, cloud forums, and resumption artifacts for small, medium and micro enterprises in response to the epidemic, to explore and disseminate new business ideas and breakthroughs emerging from all walks of life, to boost confidence in enterprises' resumption of work and production, and to clear congestion points.
is here. , Nandu has launched an initiative, hoping that more industry associations and enterprises will join the "Teleportation 2020" series of activities, linking resources from all parties with new capabilities and new services, and sowing hope together in this belated spring. , reap the fruits!
Guangdong Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Association
Guangdong Convention and Exhibition Organizers Association
Guangdong Beauty, Hairdressing and Cosmetics Industry Association
Guangdong Cosmetics Society
Guangdong Cosmetic Quality Management Association
Guangzhou Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Promotion Association
Guangdong Province Industrial Design Association
Guangdong Biomedical Innovation Technology Association
...
The list is still being invited (in no particular order)
Welcome to call the Nandu hotline: 020-87388888 to join us
Coordinator: Huang Haishan Qiu Ping Zou Ying Yin Lai Ren Xianbo Xie Bing
Executive coordinator: Huang Haishan
Writing: Nandu reporter Wei Kai
Data compilation: Yuan Jiongxian
Editor: Dalue intern Peng Xiaodong Zhu Lan
