BUSINESS TOURISM IN CHINA. THE CASE OF GUANGZHOU

This paper aims at studying the business tourism that affects this economically emerging country, with special regard to the business tourism in Guangzhou (better known as Canton), its influence on urban economy and its relations with other types of tourism. A qualitative-quantitative pproach has been used: the qualitative part has been based upon the existing literature and the direct observation of the analysed area, during a field mission of about one month; the quantitative part has been based on related figures. Business tourism represents the primary motivation of inbound tourism in Guangzhou, which is a hot destination for investments, offering considerable business opportunities. Guangzhou is also the Chinese city that hosts the highest number of trade fairs, the most important of which is the “China Import and Export Fair”, the biggest Chinese commercial fair. Figures about inbound business tourism flow are not available. Nevertheless, we can assume that business tourism represents the core business of the tourism sector in the city and estimate that the related incoming flow is not less than one million visitors per year.