ICSC's RECON Asia 2010 will run November 7-9 in Beijing
SHANGHAI and BEIJING, July 14 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. (ICSC) today released details of ICSC RECON Asia 2010, the annual regional edition of the Council's convention and exhibition which this year will be held at the Beijing International Hotel and Convention Center.
This is the first ICSC event in Mainland China in five years and it comes on the heels of calls for global retailers to push into faster growing developing markets to make up for declining growth at home. China's already huge retail sector is the world's fastest growing emerging market, according to the latest Global Retail Development Index (GRDI)*.
"Choosing China for this year's event was frankly a no-brainer," said Marvin Morrison, Senior Vice-President at ICSC. "China is going to be leading the global recovery, and what's the typical driver for that? Retail, so obviously it was crucial for RECON Asia 2010 to happen there."
Morrison continued: "The latest GRDI data shows something we have observed for some time now: Chinese and Asians in general are clearly comfortable with international shopping formats, albeit nuanced to suit local preferences."
Previously known as ICSC Asia Expo, the annual exhibition and convention was renamed RECON Asia to align with ICSC's "RECON" brand known in North America, Latin America and the Middle East. The annual meeting and showcase draws together the industry's leading retailers, developers, investors, planners and architects.
Many of the region's top developers committed early to the event, among them Beijing Hualian Group, Perennial Real Estate and DLF, TCBL, Shenzhen Commercial Properties, GT Land, Yangguang, Concept I, Ayala Land, Aeon, Garde, Sands Retail Asia among others. The exhibition is almost sold out with four months to the event.
RECON Asia offers a full program under one roof. While the Exhibition showcases new and upcoming retail real estate projects and the latest products and services, developers, the Conference features speakers and panels addressing key industry issues. At the same time, RECON Asia serves as a hub for investors, retailers and other professionals from around the world to discuss leasing opportunities, make deals, and network with decision-makers representing an array of retail and urban planning projects.
The Conference program features an outstanding line-up of experts to address timely issues on industry challenges and opportunities in China and the Asia-Pacific region. Several of this year's speakers represent global retail brands -- talking about exploring new sites and introducing fresh concepts around Asia. Others will address new entertainment concepts for organized shopping formats, the future of outlet centers in Asia and the overall investment climate in the region.
Global recognition to Asia Shopping Centers
The annual ICSC Asia Shopping Center Awards, now recognized as the region's benchmark standard for the retail industry's top marketing and development initiatives, will be presented at a reception on November 8, following the first day's conference programme. The 2009 Awards competition has drawn 114 entries from across Asia, up from 109 in 2008. "The Asia Shopping Center Awards is a recognition program aimed at honoring the best of the best in Asia," Morrison explained. "The quality of Asian entries has been going from strength to strength, as exemplified by CentralWorld in Bangkok winning the 'Best of the Best' accolade in Las Vegas at RECON 2010 in May."
ICSC Study Tour
A pre-event Study Tour of shopping centers and retail thoroughfares in Shanghai, Beijing and emerging tier-two cities in Eastern China is also scheduled for November 1-5. For participants, it's an opportunity to meet with mall managers and local officials and get a close-up look at the dynamics underlying China's fantastic growth story.
"We anticipate strong interest for the tour from international retailers and developers alike. The tour should be a real eye-opener for newcomers," Morrison said. "For old China Hands, the trip will be a fantastic opportunity to get updated on all the incredibly high-speed change," he added, citing recent data from China's National Bureau of Statistics. According to NBS, China's retail sales of consumer goods for 2009 totalled RMB 12.54 trillion (USD1.84 trillion), 15.5% up on 2008's. "Just think," Morrison exclaimed, "this was when the rest of the world was struggling to begin recovery!"
For more information on ICSC RECON Asia, please visit http://www.icsc.org/2010APC/index.php
* The GRDI ranks 30 emerging countries based on a set of 25 variables including economic and political risk, retail market attractiveness, retail saturation levels, and the difference between GDP growth and retail growth.
About the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. (ICSC)
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping Center industry. Its 54,000 members in over 90 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, as well as academics and public officials.
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