Maritime Silk Road Culture, Travel Expo opens in Ningbo

Maritime Silk Girl, a virtual digital character, debuts at the 2023 Maritime Silk Road Culture and Travel Expo which opened on June 30 at the Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Center. [Photo/WeChat account: nbfb0574]

The 2023 Maritime Silk Road Culture and Travel Expo kicked off on June 30 at the Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Spanning four days, the expo, which marks the first post-COVID-19 pandemic event of its kind to be held in Ningbo, occupies a total exhibition area of about 25,000 square meters, which is divided into four main exhibition halls.

For the first time, the event features an international exhibition area, with the participation of countries and cities along the Maritime Silk Road, including Japan, Indonesia, France, and Italy.

A standout feature of the expo is the dedicated area for the Asian Games, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to explore this high-level sporting event. The area will showcase a wide range of licensed products offering insights into the development history of Chinese sports.

The expo also promises a futuristic and interactive experience for visitors, utilizing cutting-edge technologies to create immersive encounters. This encompasses the presence of a virtual digital character named the "Maritime Silk Girl", as well as humanoid robots developed by Singapore's Neon Group. Visitors can also look forward to interactive scenes featuring lifelike dinosaurs, transporting them back to the Cretaceous period.

In line with the digital age, the expo aims to optimize the online experience by establishing a cloud exhibition hall. This initiative will ensure that remote attendees have a chance to take part in the event.

Since its establishment in 2016, the expo has seen remarkable success, accumulating more than 1.4 million onsite visitors and garnering over 140 million online visits over the course of seven editions. Nearly 5,000 cultural enterprises spanning over 40 countries and regions have participated in the event, resulting in a total trade value exceeding 2 billion yuan ($275.76 million).

This year's edition is poised to be even more impressive, with approximately 40 cities along the Maritime Silk Road and over 160 enterprises confirmed to participate. Among these enterprises, 10 percent are considered industry leaders.