Comparing the appeal of world-class cities This map marks the start of new series that compares major world cities from an international perspective. Exchange with foreign countries is one indicator of international appeal. The first map in the series focuses on international conventions. According to Union of International Associations (UIA) selection standards, international conventions are defined as having: 1) 300 or more participants, at least 40% of whom are foreign 2) Participation by 5 or more countries 3) A history of previous conventions 3 days or longer

	If we break down the number of international conventions held in 1999 by continent, we see that Europe, North and South America, and Asia rank the highest in descending order. While the number of conventions decreased overall, only America saw an increase from the previous year. According to the UIA, there are 18,955 international association headquarters. Of those, 60% are located in Europe, 24% in America, and 11% in Oceania/the Pacific area; this appears to have a bearing on the number of international conferences held on the respective continents. Number of International Conventions by Continent 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Oceania 230 (2.6%) 293 (3.3%) 350 (3.8%) 403 (4.3%) 359 (3.8%) Africa 435 (5.0%) 437 (4.9%) 498 (5.4%) 442 (4.7%) 436 (4.6%) Asia 1,195 (13.7%) 1,274 (14.3%) 1,294 (14.1%) 1,274 (13.5%) 1,255 (13.4%) America 1,746 (20.0%) 1,745 (19.6%) 1,857 (20.2%) 1,966 (20.8%) 1,990 (21.2%) Europe 5,106 (58.6%) 5,146 (57.9%) 5,196 (56.5%) 5,383 (56.9%) 5,343 (56.9%) Total 8,712 (100%) 8,895 (100%) 9,195 (100%) 9,468 (100%) 9,383 (100%) * "1999 Convention Statistics," Japan Congress Convention Bureau

	The number of international conventions held in America is overwhelmingly high, and has continued to grow each year while the number in most other countries has plateaued. Compared to Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, where the number of conventions held has been fairly steady, the number held in Japan peaked in 1992, and has since decreased to just above half that level. International Convention Statistics by Country 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 America 894 880 982 1018 1005 1004 1049 1054 1190 1202 France 757 761 789 745 786 728 643 647 654 633 England 722 660 577 633 645 637 588 593 644 608 Japan 294 264 417 300 245 229 231 250 238 220 China 85 78 71 94 73 97 101 62 101 74 Hong Kong 74 102 86 108 91 102 115 100 76 84 Singapore 136 110 112 116 118 140 136 138 131 140 * "1999 Convention Statistics," Japan Congress Convention Bureau

	While the number of international conventions held in the most popular cities, like Paris and London, has decreased, the number held in Singapore and Hong Kong has increased slightly. In 1991, the number of conventions held in the three Asian cities--Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo--were roughly the same, but in 1999 they differed significantly: 140, 84, and 63 respectively. International Convention Statistics by City 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Paris 349 407 355 358 332 280 249 247 247 London 244 185 191 205 192 179 205 200 160 Singapore 110 112 116 118 140 136 138 131 140 New York 58 60 68 97 114 110 89 92 88 Hong Kong 102 86 108 91 102 115 100 76 84 Tokyo 84 74 90 55 51 64 64 59 63 * "1999 Convention Statistics," Japan Congress Convention Bureau

	According to a survey*, 2.4% of foreigners visiting Japan between summer 1999 and winter 2000 did so to attend conventions or trade shows. This would mean only 107,000 (2.4%) of the approximately 4.44 million foreign visitors to Japan in 1999 visited to attend conventions or trade shows. *The "Survey of Foreign Visitors to Japan" was conducted by JNTO between summer 1999 and winter 2000 on foreign visitors leaving the country after stays of from 2 days to 6 months.

	Japanese cuisine, shopping, and metropolitan living are the most prevalent aspects of Japanese culture that foreigners visiting Japan have experienced. Compared to the general visitor, a higher percentage of convention or trade show travelers experienced "contemporary art & culture," "traditional arts & culture," "exchange programs," and "showroom visits." According to the JNTO "Survey of Foreign Visitors to Japan 1999-2000"

	The exorbitant prices of convention facilities (2 to 4 times those of other cities) is generally cited as one of the reasons that Tokyo hosts fewer international conventions than other world cities. In our research on convention facility costs, we found that fees for Tokyo International Forum compare favorably with major facilities of other world cities. However, after considering meals, convention services, and lodging, convention sponsors say they tend to select hotel ballrooms as venues. Mid-Tokyo Maps is therefore presently researching the rental costs of ballrooms at Tokyo's major hotels for comparison. We plan to post the results of this survey on the website.

	Factors in Selecting an International Convention Site Japan National Travel Organization (JNTO) "International Convention Manual" Airport to City Center Distances/Taxi Fares & Times -"Kojin Ryokou," Shobunsha Convention Facilities -Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre -Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau -The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center -Alexandra Palace Hotel-related -Expedia.com Big Mac Prices -BigMac Index Languages -"The CIA World Factbook 2000" TOEFL Score and Testee Data -"TOEFL Score and Testee Data Summary 1998-1999" Populations -(Zai) Sekai no Ugoki Sha, "Sekai no kuni ichiranhyo (Table of the World's Countries ) 2000" Crime Rates -Kokuseisha, "Sekai kokusei zukai (World Census Illustrated)" 2000/2001 -"The Hong Kong Yearbook 1999" -"Yearbook of Statistics Singapore, 2000" No. of International Conventions Held in World Cities -Japan National Travel Organization (JNTO), "1999 Convention Statistics," 2000 Market prices: 2001/04/2

	Top Page		Archives		About "Mid-Tokyo Maps"		Viewers' voices		Inquiries
Copyright (c) 2001 Mori Building Co., Ltd.