WHDZ powers up to promote sports industry

Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone in Wuhan -- capital city of Central China’s Hubei province -- has been making great strides in promoting its sports industry with international events being held in the zone, according to a report in the Changjiang Daily.

The events, combined with the industrial attributes of the WHDZ, are promoting the ongoing transformation and upgrading of industries in the zone, including automobiles and general aviation.

Each large-scale event has driven the development of service industries such as surrounding hotels, commerce and entertainment.

The first World Fly-in Expo attracted 500,000 spectators, while the first China Automobile and Motorcycle Sports Festival saw some 100,000 people come to watch.

According to WHDZ officials, the sports industry has driven the tourism industry and is becoming an important driver for the development of tourism in the future.

Officials said the tourism revenue of the WHDZ in 2018 totaled 18 billion yuan ($2.56 billion), of which 11.8 billion yuan came from sports events.

They said the sports industry has become an important part of the modern services industry, adding that it is an important driver for Wuhan to accelerate its development into a new first-tier city, as well as a new economic growth engine.

WHDZ -- as one of the first batch of national-level development zones in Central and West China -- has maintained first place in the various economic indexes for Wuhan city including those for regional GDP, industrial investment and general public budget revenue.

According to staff members at the Wuhan Sports Center, the WHDZ has an advantageous location, with easy  access by metro, bus or car. The zone boasts the city’s top stadium, the Wuhan Sports Center.

It also has top sports operation teams and rich experience in event operations, so it can provide quality and professional services for international events.

The AEOLUS China Automobile and Motorcycle Sports Festival 2019 is set to open Dec 12 at the Wuhan Sports Center located in the WHDZ.

The four-day festival -- the largest and most comprehensive event in the automobile and motorcycle sports industry in China -- will have three major sections: automobile and motorcycle events, automobile and motorcycle performances and cultural activities.