Exhibitions eye greener, digitalized future

Visitors experience metaverse technologies during a science product expo in Wuhu, Anhui province, in October. DU YU/XINHUA

As the exhibition economy enters a new development stage, expos in China are marching in a more digital and greener direction, industry experts said.

Ten years ago, enterprises relied mainly on offline exhibitions to demonstrate their products and services and win orders. It was the exception that enterprises could land orders online without a single handshake. Now, with the help of digital technologies, enterprises showcase their products and services online, and make instant adjustments to their products and services according to customer demand. Countless such online transactions have since been made and are now becoming de rigueur across the industry.

Another trend of exhibitions in China is sustainability. With people's increasing awareness of environmental protection, expos are turning greener. In the exhibition designing process, people are using environmentally friendly materials, including recyclable materials, biodegradable materials and low-polluting materials. The use of these materials can reduce environmental pollution and resource wastage.

Li Qingshuang, deputy head of the CCPIT, said: "Global industrial and supply chains are showing a trend of sustainable and digital transformation. So is the exhibition industry. With concerted efforts in the industry, the expo economy will be greener and smarter."