The development of the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center (SWECC) in China is whetting organisers’ appetites all over the world.

In March, the International Organisers Network (a joint strategic partnership between UK event organiser association the AEO and north American counterpart SISO) visited the construction site and attended a workshop addressing key topics for the future operation of the venue.

Organisers including Clarion, Informa UBM, Reed and Tarsus, together with European organisers Fiera Milano and Comexposium met with representatives of the government of Shenzhen, operators Zhaohua International Exhibition Operation, SMG and investors CMSK and OCT, and a familiar presence on EW’s pages, German consultancy JWC.

The consultancy has been advising the Government of Shenzhen and investors CMSK and OCT on the venue’s masterplan, functional design and operational efficiency since 2015.

And it’s no small undertaking. The venue will be gigantic. At launch it will offer 400,000sqm of exhibition space, divided into 18 halls of 20,000sqm connected by a central corridor with two levels, and one hall of 50,000sqm. To provide some sense of scale, around 30,000 people are working onsite throughout its construction.