£3m Shanghai dream for Liverpool
THE cost of Liverpool’s presence at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 has today been revealed – at £3m.
Liverpool is the only UK city outside the capital to have won a place to exhibit at the world’s biggest business fair, which will run for six months in Shanghai, between May and October 2010.
Liverpool City Council has committed £300,000 to the cost of Liverpool’s presence, while the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has said it will contribute £1.25m towards the cost.
The remainder of the funding is to be raised through sponsorship from the private and public sector, with packages ranging from £10,000 to £100,000.
Launched today, the city’s official prospectus – Shanghai Connect – details the opportunities the event, which will attract around 70 million visitors, will generate for the region’s economy.
It has been developed by a partnership of Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool-Shanghai Partnership, who today also revealed that a virtual cruise from Liverpool to Shanghai will help promote the city and region to an international audience at the expo.
Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of the Liverpool City Council, said: “Given the importance and power of China and Shanghai in the global economy in the 21st century, it is entirely right that we should be putting down a marker now and investing in the Expo for the long-term benefit of the city.
“We are already experiencing very warm interest from potential sponsors and are in negotiations with a number of partners about the scale and nature of their involvement.”
Mike Taylor, director of investment and enterprise at Liverpool Vision, added: “The impact of Liverpool’s presence at the event will be felt beyond the city region because highlighting investment opportunities in the entire North West region is the foundation and purpose of the event.
“We want as many regional businesses as possible to speak to us about how we can help them in their objectives connected to Shanghai and the wider market in China and South East Asia.”
For more information visit Liverpool’s Expo website at www.liverpoolshanghai2010.com.
