Leisure Summit: Showcasing Hangzhou Lifestyle & Leisure Economy

HANGZHOU, China, April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The 2011 World Leisure Expo, a summit of world leisure economy and culture, will epitomize Hangzhou's take on the life of luxury economy and leisure. With a theme of "Leisure – Enhancing the Quality of Life", the Expo will introduce the world of leisure in true Hangzhou style.

One of the happiest cities in China, Hangzhou has a long-standing reputation as a rich and beautiful center of leisure.

The expo aims to be an exchange of leisure economy and culture. In its showcasing of advanced leisure products and services, its comprehensive communication of leisure economy and culture among businessman, scholars and famous leisure cities around the world and various leisure activities set for everyone, the expo is sure to deliver a sense of happiness for attendees.

People can also experience Hangzhou's leisure style without the Expo. Approaching local people will afford them with a vivid snapshot of city life.

Hangzhou's Culture of Luxury Goods and Leisure Economy

Today, beauty and nobility still characterize the city, while luxury consumption plays a significant role in improving the quality of life and boosting the development of leisure economy. Following Shanghai and Beijing, Hangzhou has become China's 3rd largest consumer of luxury goods. In the eyes of Hangzhou people, consumption of luxury goods does not mean being extravagant, but simply the comfort of leading a life of leisure.

Hangzhou residents prize the spiritual and artistic elements that come with luxury goods, priding themselves, not on the price of an item, but on the stories and artistic merit behind it.

Longjing Tea, for example, is renowned as China's national drink. Hugely popular in Hangzhou, the tea can take on many different meanings for each person. For business elites, the aroma of Longjing Tea may symbolize a successful deal made over talks, a booster for their career development. For old people, it may symbolize the art of tea itself, namely, rising their vitality in the study of tea grades, telling a superior tea from inferior one, how to brew tea, etc. For children, it represents an unequaled delicacy.

As far back as 800 years ago, local Hangzhou people had already gained a good mastery of their wealth and life. Nowadays, Hangzhou people appear more diversified in creating their own leisure styles, preferring outdoor activities and highly valuing the nurturing of the artistic and spiritual world. This has helped Hangzhou gain the reputation of "Paradise on the earth".

Showing the World Hangzhou lifestyle– 2011 World Leisure Expo

Rich, happy and peaceful, life in Hangzhou appears quite comfortable for local people. In 2006, World Leisure hailed Hangzhou as the "Oriental Capital of Leisure". Hangzhou and its 8 million people meantime are exerting great efforts in spreading Hangzhou's lifestyle around the world. 3 weeks ago, Mr. Zhang Tingjian, Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou led the 2011 World Leisure Expo Committee to Europe together with their worldwide propaganda for the expo. During the 12-day promotional campaign, they covered 7 cities: London, Leeds, Paris, Nice, Frankfurt, Berlin and Dresden.

The results were fruitful:

12 famous world leisure centers such as London and Paris agreed to set up their exhibition pavilions at the Expo, while local media and tourism industries paid great attention to the promotional campaign. Media such as the BBC, Nouvelles d'Europe and National Geographic (London) presented at the promotional conferences. Also in attendance were superintendents of famous European tourism enterprises such as Thomas Cook, COX&KINGS.

In the talk with Jonathan Howtett, Director of Advertising Sales at BBC Worldwide, he put forward a plan in which staff of a BBC Travel Channel will film a special program for Hangzhou.

In addition, many other world famous figures expressed their support and appreciation of the Expo. Derek Casey, chairman of World Leisure Organization said: "You can't miss Hangzhou and the 2nd World Leisure Expo." Praise from Councillor Jim McKenna, Lord Mayor of Leeds, Dr. Helmut Muller, Lord mayor of Wiesbaden's, Steinau Mayor Walter Strauch, especially those of Dr. Hans d'Orville, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Strategic Planning and Umberto Vattani, President of the Italian Trade Commission, gave the Committee more confidence to publicize Hangzhou's leisure style. Just as Mr. Zhang Tingjian said, "There will only be more visitors from Europe and America in the future, as the New York Times has already hailed Hangzhou as a must-see destination for world travelers."

For more information, please visit http://en.wl-expo.com/.

SOURCE World Leisure Expo Committee