By Li Huayu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-11-05 19:07

China has become the most significant single market in Asia for the German-based Koelnmesse GmbH, one of the world's largest trade fair organizers, according to its vice president Asia Pacific Michael Dreyer on the sidelines of Carbon Forum Asia 2007, which opened in Singapore today.

"We have about 50 percent of our Asian business originating in China. If you look at all Asia Pacific, … everything that comes from China or we do in China are very substantial," he said in an interview with Chinadaily.com.cn.

With a wholly owned subsidiary in Beijing, and branches in Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively, Koelnmesse holds seven to eight trade shows in China every year. Widely acknowledged as a global leader in the field of tradeshow organization, Koelnmesse has over 60 successful international trade fairs a year to its name.

"We have been expanding (in China) all the time," Dreyer said, adding that his company has tripled its exhibition area and revenue generated in China since 2002 when Koelnmesse set up its first office in the country.

"We have been growing by about 25 percent over the last five years almost every year. I would like to expect that this number can be maintained at least for next year or the year afterwards," Dreyer said.

In 2006, Koelnmesse's revenue from China totaled about 15 million euros (US$21.7 million), accounting for about seven percent of its record worldwide revenue of 216.1 million euros.

To take a bigger slice of the booming market in China, Koelnmesse is trying to get more Chinese customers to its trade fairs held in Germany, and is also seeking opportunities to hold more exhibitions in China, according to Dreyer.

As China's overall economy sizzles ahead, the country has developed five exhibition-related economic belts up to now. They are the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Bohai Rim, Central and West China, and Northeast China.

Koelnmesse has secured a foothold in the first three belts with a string of well-established regular trade fairs, as the majority of its current customers are there, said Dreyer.

As the Chinese market develops further and customers from central, western and northeastern China grow in number, his company will consider opening offices in those areas too, he added.

Carbon Forum Asia 2007 is a trade fair jointly organized by Koelnmesse and the International Emissions Trading Association. The two-day event, bringing together 110 leading companies and organizations from 26 countries, serves as the major platform for emissions trading, carbon abatement solutions, greenhouse gas market, and new technologies.