Stuart WoodThe second Host City Asia conference was recently held in Beijing, bringing together the organisers of the Olympic Games from across the region.
The event, on 11 April, kicked off with insights from the hosts of the next three Olympic Games: Tokyo, Beijing and Paris.
They all convened to share best practice, under a theme of “faster, stronger growth through event hosting”.
The number of Chinese cities attending Host City Asia quadrupled since the inaugural event, with officials from major cities including Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Hangzhou, Anshan, Changzhou, Shanxi and Changchun.
The cities attending were also treated to finding out about how to host new urban events –like Nitro Circus, Red Bull Air Race and the FISE World Series – to esports and the immense AIPH World Horticultural Expo, which is attracting 16 million visitors to Beijing this year.
Leading suppliers like Aggreko joined Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and other major event organising committees to examine how they can make event hosting more efficient together.
Yunchao Gao (pictured above), deputy secretary general, Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA) said: “The Olympic legacy is rooted in the Olympic Movement and is not simply the wealth of the Olympic host cities, but also the achievements and wealth of the entire human civilisation.
“Let us join hands to set an example of the ‘Dual Olympics’ legacy, propel the Olympic movement and the sustainable development of the Olympic spirit and create a better future for all!”
Yasunobu Nishimura, deputy director general of Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government said: “The legacy of the Games must be one that befits a mature society and is appropriate for a world-leading megalopolis that continues to grow sustainably.
“The Tokyo government will seize the opportunity of the 2020 Games to enhance urban functions from both tangible and intangible aspects, so that we grow into an even more attractive city.”