Foreigners attend the 2023 Zhejiang Yiwu International Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment Expo in Yiwu on June 8. [Photo/WeChat account: yiwuwaishi]

Yiwu's exhibition industry thrived in the first half of 2023, local media reported on July 31.

The city hosted 27 commercial exhibitions with areas of over 520,200 square meters. They drew 870,000 attendees and total transactions reached 9.8 billion yuan ($1.37 billion).

Yiwu earned the title of "2022 China's Top 10 Exhibition Cities" for the sixth year in a row, leading county-level cities in exhibition competitiveness.

The 5th Yiwu Multifarious Department Store Expo, known as the Yiwu Department Store Expo, ran from July 24 to 26. Over 20,000 retail buyers attended, provided with complimentary transportation and lodging.

This year's expo doubled in scale, with five pavilions and over 2,000 booths. It showcased consumer goods, hosted over 1,600 source factories, and included a one-stop procurement event.

The exhibition boost benefited related sectors, increasing footfall by nearly 20 percent, while hotel occupancy rates rose by over 8 percent.

Local authorities said Yiwu's exhibition industry resurgence stems from market dynamics, a favorable business ecosystem, and top-notch exhibition infrastructure. The city plans further streamline exhibition approvals and enhance citywide exhibition promotion to extend its influence.