The Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Expositions recently signed an agreement with Reed Exhibitions Greater China to strengthen cooperation in information, staff training and exhibitions.

The strong professional partner gives the local government a boost in its efforts to make Chengdu a famous city for conventions and exhibitions worldwide, said officials.

Most of the city's expos are for electronic devices, medicines and medical appliances, gifts and housewares.

Bureau Director Mu Tao said the partnership will help Chengdu host more international exhibitions by sharing the resources of Reed Exhibitions. In return, the agreement helps expand the company's business in the city.

As one of the world's leading event organizers, Reed Exhibitions Group employs more than 3,500 people worldwide.

Every year, it organizes some 500 exhibitions in 40 countries and regions.

Globally, it provides services for 43 industry sectors across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region.

The group has strict guidelines in choosing partners, with market potential as one of the most important player in China. Reed Exhibitions China now has cooperative relationships with only two Chinese cities. The other is Shanghai.

Wang Guohong, president of Reed Exhibitions China, said he is optimistic about prospects in second-and third-tier cities, particularly in the mid-western region.

"When we say Chengdu, we do not want to only look at the Chengdu market. We definitely will be looking around Chengdu.

"In fact, our intermediate objective is the Sichuan market, and of course the bigger goal is the western Chinese market," Wang said.

"We must support any proposal to launch a new exhibition with many facts.

"For example, we need to know the population and the market scale before organizing an animation show," he said.

This is not the company's first foray into Chengdu. It has organized many sessions of the NERCON West China Electronics Fair in the city.

"We feel that Chengdu is an area that has proven trade record. We already have shows here and already have worked together.

"This is not something totally new that we are doing here, but something that we need to enhance and improve. We already know the background," he said.

Wang also added that Chengdu has a range of compelling conditions in its markets, the industrial foundation, air transport, government services and city attractions.

In contrast to its cooperation with the Shanghai International Trade Promotion Council, Reed Exhibitions China will work with the Chengdu bureau to develop more events that are in line with the local conditions.

"There are a lot of areas that we can explore deeper and some are under research right now," Wang said.

"We will set up an office here when the company can organize six or seven events yearly."

In addition to attract more high-profile event organizers this year, the Chengdu authorities will also make more effort to improve the industrial environment and create branded exhibitions.

In 2013, Chengdu held 503 major events, including 105 international conventions and 53 international exhibitions.

Together, those events generated direct income of some 6 billion yuan ($964 million), up 20 percent over the 2012.

Statistics from the bureau show that at least 450 large events will be staged in the city this year that will generate 6.5 billion yuan in direct income and indirect revenue of 54 billion yuan.

Major events include a creative design expo, the 12th China International Software Cooperation Fair, the China Materials Conference, the 12th Michelin Challenge Bibendum, the Sixth China (Chengdu) Gifts & Home Products Fair, the third Chengdu International Electronic Production Equipment and Technology Exhibition, the Munich Oktoberfest Chengdu Tour and the ninth Conference on China-ASEAN People-to-People Friendship Organizations.

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Visitors come in flocks to the Chengdu Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center. Photos Provided to China Daily