20,000 China Entrepreneurs Expected to Visit Events in Guangzhou,
Shanghai and Beijing
HONG KONG, Nov. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Global Sources’ (Nasdaq: GSOL) 10th Annual Franchising China Conference & Exhibition
( http://www.franchisechina.com ) is scheduled to run in three cities across China with nearly 100 international and local franchisors and 20,000 entrepreneurs expected to participate.
(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/200708071747.jpg )
Franchising China is scheduled to be held in:
-- Shanghai -- Nov. 8-9 at Shanghai Mart
-- Guangzhou -- Nov. 12-13 at Jin Han Exhibition Center
-- Beijing -- Nov. 15-16 at China World Trade Center
Among the international brands set to exhibit are Subway, Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Bob Jane T-Marts, Athlete’s Foot, Super 8, Holiday Inn Express, Office 1 and Meyer Cookware. Successful domestic China franchisors are also scheduled to participate, including Home Inn, JinJiang Inn, Iceason (Bright Enterprise), ILSA Laundry, Dio Coffee and Tayohya.
Exhibitors represent a range of product categories -- including retail, education, hotels, laundry services, food & beverage, beauty & health, automotive, commercial services and furniture/home products.
Global Sources’ Chief Operating Officer, Craig Pepples, said: "China’s franchising industry has experienced amazing growth over the past two decades and now boasts over 2,600 franchises with over 200,000 retail outlets. In 2006 the industry grew by 16 percent, far outpacing growth in other markets around the world.
"China’s franchise market represents a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and Franchising China is the ideal event to explore both international and local franchises under the same roof."
Free Seminars to Educate Visitors About Franchising
Free seminars and lectures aim to give attendees an overview of franchising as well as tips to operate franchises in specific industries.
The keynote address on the first day of each show is scheduled to be given by Michael M. Isakson, Chairman of International Franchise Association, who will speak about how to evaluate a franchise before investing.
On the second day of each event, executives from Dio Coffee and JinJiang Inn are scheduled to discuss business opportunities created by the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Visitors can also attend Franchise Opportunity Seminars given by individual franchisors. Company representatives will introduce requirements for becoming a franchisee along with the benefits of their franchise systems. Seminars will be conducted by 14 different franchisors at various times throughout the day. Schedules are available at the event or on the Franchising China website ( http://www.franchisechina.com ). Seating at the seminars is limited.
More information and online pre-registration for the 10th Annual Franchising China Conference & Exhibition is available at http://www.franchisechina.com .
About Franchising China
Organized by Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL) and sponsored by Chief Executive China ( http://www.ceconline.com ), Franchising China has been a pioneer in introducing international franchise exhibitions to China since 1998. Today, it’s the region’s premier multinational franchise event and a prime location for famous brands seeking business partners. As a result, the event has earned the repeated support of international associations such as the International Franchise Association (IFA), the Franchising and Licensing Association of Singapore (FLA) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade). Furthermore, the Shanghai show has received the US Department of Commerce’s trade fair certification.
Franchising China exhibitors come from the US, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and other countries, representing industries such as retail, food, education, training, business services and more. Past exhibitors include Subway, Athlete’s Foot and other well-known brands. More than 20,000 visitors attended the 2006 Franchising China exhibition -- 80% of whom were senior managers.
About Global Sources
Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media.
The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 647,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 230 countries.
The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 2 million products and more than 160,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and nine specialized trade shows which run 22 times a year across seven cities.
Suppliers receive more than 23 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ) alone.
Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 36 years. In mainland China it has over 2,000 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for
Chinese-language media.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27-A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21-E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The company’s actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of the risks associated with the company’s business, changes in general economic conditions, and changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements.
Global Sources Press Contact in Asia:
Camellia So
Tel: +852-2555-5021
Email: cso@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia:
Eddie Heng
Tel: +65-6547-2850
Email: eheng@globalsources.com
Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.:
James W.W. Strachan
Tel: +1-480-664-8309
Email: strachan@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.:
Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1-415-433-3777
Email: cpelz@lhai.com
