Golf World Exhibitions has launched the 6th Annual Exhibition & Conference, China Golf 2000, to be held between 1st and 3rd December at Guangzhou International Exhibition & Conference Centre.
For the first time the event will combine business and industry segments on merchandise (Golf apparel, shoes, clubs, putters and so on) with Golf course design and construction, irrigation, turf care, landscape and sports grounds.
The first exhibition was held in Hong Kong in 1995. It moved to Shanghai for the next two years and then travelled to Shenzen in 1998. Last year Golf World Exhibitions took the event to one of China’s largest exhibition centres at Guangzhou which also happens to be in one of the provinces in China where golf development is at its most dynamic. The choice of venue was a great success. More than 90% of the 223 companies who exhibited reported an increase in traffic and exposure.
“Guangzhou is our preferred location for this show with about 45 golf courses within three hours drive. We made contacts, sales leads, and unit sales. Guangzhou is easily accessible and worked very well. The style of the show in golf related products and services resulted in quality visitors and enquiries,” said Anssi Ilvari, assistant general manager of Bothgreat Technology, Hong Kong. “For next year’s participation Bothgreat is likely to participate with both Club Car and John Deere.”
From the United Kingdom, Howard Swan, President of The British Institute of Golf Course Architects stated, “The Institute was very pleased to have been able to represent golf course architecture from Europe at China GILTS ’99. The show in Guangzhou was a successful event, well attended and very well organised. We shall look forward to flying the flag again in 2000 and looking to our members having the chance to place their design skills in the Chinese market.” While from Sweden came similarly complimentary remarks. “Your show is the friendliest and very well organised one I have attended anywhere in the world, and I can highly recommend it to my contacts in Europe and the States,” said Ms Lena Tuncel of Range Servant. “The quality of the visitors was very high and attendance was excellent. Our business leads look promising and we are very busy doing follow-ups. We are looking forward to participating in this exhibition next year.”
“ Many companies recognize the fact that doing business in China represents new challenges,” said Stephen Allen, founder of Golf World Exhibitions, “but we feel confident the contacts and expertise which have built up over the past five years puts us in a good position to help our exhibitors. With China joining the World Trade Organisation the lid will be blown right off and the companies that will benefit are the companies that have already laid the foundation relationships in China.”