About
When
October 25-27, 2023
Where
Hongdao International Convention and Exhibition Center (HICEC)
Huoju road, Gaoxin district
Qingdao, China
青岛国际博览中心
地址： 青岛即墨市温泉镇，滨海大道与温泉二路交汇处
About CFSE
China Fisheries & Seafood Expo was created in 1996 as a joint venture between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Unit (CCPIT-SSA), a division within China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Sea Fare Expositions, Inc., a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington which has been organizing trade expositions for the seafood industry since 1984. As the Overseas Organizer, Sea Fare Expositions was responsible for recruiting exhibitors and visitors from outside China.
The inaugural CFSE was held in 1996 in Qingdao. Since then, CFSE, which takes place the first week in November, has been held in the following cities: Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
In 2005, Sea Fare Expositions created a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary in Beijing, Sea Fare (China) Ltd., to increase both visitor and exhibitor participation among both Chinese and overseas companies with offices in China. In 2014, CFSE moved permanently to Qingdao.
Why Qingdao?
Qingdao was selected as the site for the first China Fisheries & Seafood Expo in 1996 due to its large and growing base of both primary and secondary processors as well as seafood importers. The first show was held in a small convention center with approximately 250 exhibiting companies, about 60% of which were from China. At the time, China had just begun importing seafood in significant quantities due to a temporary policy that allowed Chinese companies fishing overseas to import seafood duty free.
As China’s international seafood trade grew from US$4.2 billion in 1996 to US$20.4 billion by 2010, CFSE grew as well to become the second largest seafood exposition in the world. In 1997 the show had already outgrown the original convention center and was moved to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ Exhibition Hall in Beijing to accommodate the 300 companies exhibiting at the show in its second year.
In 1998 the show hosted 350 exhibitors and was moved again to the city of Dalian into a new convention center built by the city. Like Qingdao, Dalian has a large seafood processing and importing sector. CFSE was moved again for the 1999 show, this time to Shanghai to encourage more participation by Chinese producers and buyers.
Bigger Shows — Bigger Venues
By 2001, Qingdao had built a new, modern convention center and the show returned to its original city for the 2001 and 2002 shows before moving to Guangzhou for the 10th Anniversary Edition. It was then decided to rotate the show between Qingdao and Dalian, the latter city having built a much larger convention center that could allow CFSE to continue its growth. Qingdao, meanwhile, expanded their convention center in 2008, which accommodated continued growth for a time.
In 2021, China Fisheries & Seafood Expo moved into its current home in the Hongdao Economic Zone location, in the geographic center of the Greater Qingdao metropolitan area. With impressive architecture, modern amenities and a capacity to hold 6,100 standard-sized booths in 10 exhibit halls, HICEC is the largest and most modern convention facility in Northern China and has sufficient room for the show to continue its impressive growth.
Bigger Shows — Bigger Venues
By 2001, Qingdao had built a new, modern convention center and the show returned to its original city for the 2001 and 2002 shows before moving to Guangzhou for the 10th Anniversary Edition. It was then decided to rotate the show between Qingdao and Dalian, the latter city having built a much larger convention center that could allow CFSE to continue its growth. Qingdao, meanwhile, expanded their convention center in 2008, which accommodated continued growth for a time.
In 2020, China Fisheries & Seafood Expo moved into its current home in the Hongdao Economic Zone location, in the geographic center of the Greater Qingdao metropolitan area. With impressive architecture, modern amenities and a capacity to hold 6,100 standard-sized booths in 10 exhibit halls, HICEC is the largest and most modern convention facility in Northern China and has sufficient room for the show to continue its impressive growth.