BORDER CROSSINGIssue 2 | 2012 www.74exhibition-world.netKempe said the show is targeting a 50 per cent ratio of international exhibitors, but admitted that the fi gure is likely to be 35 per cent for its fi rst outing. Preecha Chen, president of Reed Exhibitions Greater China, has also had experience running shows in third-tier cities. He revealed to EW that Reed China is making a concerted effort to invest in shows in China's secondary, less popular exhibition cities."Our electronics manufacturing industry and giftware clusters each have a show in Chengdu," he said. "Our pharmaceutical, medical and health care cluster also has a hefty presence in Hefei, where we currently host three shows annually. In Zhengzhou we have two events, and one each in Xi'an and Suzhou. "Shows in the west of the country are expanding fast. For example, at the electronics manufacturing show Nepcon West, we are expecting to cover 50 per cent more exhibition space than in 2010."Chen believes these new cities are now emerging into the premier tier of China's exhibition venues."Because they are developing so rapidly and constructing new, world-class venues so fast, they have made themselves a very attractive option for organisers of large trade shows," he said."That's the best way to ensure the exhibition industry's growth - by elevating cities like Hefei, Zhengzhou and Suzhou to fi rst choice trade show locations. And that is what Reed China is doing by positioning new events there."Chen says Reed has used research from The China National Bureau of Statistics, which has put together a list of the country's 20 fastest growing cities. He thinks these regional cities are set to develop into key commercial hubs."Reed already has a presence in several of these [second-tier] cities, and we are looking to expand even further," he said. "Zhengzhou is what some might call a typical second-tier Chinese city. "Industry growth was nearly 20 per cent in the fi rst 11 months of 2011. More than that, the province of Henan, of which Zhengzhou is the capital, is attracting huge investment, not just from local capital providers, but from international investors as well." Chen believes the country's manufacturing focus is seeing a defi nitive shift from the saturated cities of Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou."It's a strategic move that makes sense because these cities have the labour force, space, transportation connectivity and rapidly developing infrastructure to become integral manufacturing centres, in the same way their larger counterparts have," Chen said.Kempe also addressed how organisers should approach cloning. "There is no best practice for cloning. Many brands do not allow differences between cloned shows, but I advise against a copy-and-paste. The danger is not addressing local issues." Taking a show to a second- or third-tier city may not suit all international exhibition organisers, but those with a sense of adventure may see this approach as a model for growth and a way to help re-evaluate routes into new markets. BelowBjoern KempeBelow rightHefei, home to three Comexposium events in pharmaceutical and healthcare40%China's share of wine consumption in the Asian market