“Marathon and Sports Economy”, Yangzhou Sports Industry Cooperation and Development Talkfest Held

YANGZHOU, China, Apr. 3, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

On the morning of March 31, the 2024 Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon and the Grand Canal Marathon Series (Yangzhou Station) kicked off, igniting the city’s sports economy with the fervor of marathon events. As one of the distinctive activities of the event, that afternoon, the “Marathon and Sports Economy” Yangzhou Sports Industry Cooperation and Development Talkfest was held. Experts and scholars from the sports field, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and runners gathered by the canal to explore new paths for the sports industry development that are innovative, inclusive, and mutually reinforcing, according to the Yangzhou Municipal Sports Bureau.

Image: Yangzhou Sports Industry Cooperation and Development Talkfest

“Sports industry, as a sunrise and green industry, is in line with the economic and social development direction of Yangzhou, and its development potential is continuously emerging,” Zhang Changjin, the Minister of the Publicity Department of Yangzhou Municipal Committee, introduced in the welcoming speech. In 2023, Yangzhou strengthened the supply of public sports services. Yangzhou athletes won 3 golds and 1 silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games, 2 golds, 1 silver, and 2 bronzes at the Chengdu World University Games, achieving historic breakthroughs in competitive sports; the high-quality hosting of 17 major national events, making the economic effect of events increasingly prominent.

Wang Zhiguang, the First-level Inspector of the Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau, stated in his speech that it is necessary to further play the role of the new productive forces of sports economy, generate new forms of sports industry, continuously expand the comprehensive effect of sports events, and fully unleash the potential of consumption. It is hoped that everyone will use the platform of the talkfest to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build consensus around the theme of marathon and sports economy, jointly promoting the development of the sports event economy and contributing new strength to the high-quality development of the sports industry and the new practice of Chinese-style modernization in Jiangsu sports.

As one of the featured events, the “Fun Watch Yangtze River Marathon Trip” took place on March 30. Representatives from the sports industry, social media influencers, and sports enthusiasts visited three major sports industry bases in Yangzhou, experiencing the city’s strong foundation and thriving development in the sports industry.