“Leisure city, better life”: new edition of the World Leisure Expo and Forum in Hangzhou (18th–20th October 2019)

Abstract

The WL Expo & Forum is a series of exhibits, special events, festivals and training programmes designed to showcase and demonstrate leisure’s potential to improve our quality of life. Based on the success of previous editions (2006, 2011 and 2017), the 4th World Expo and Forum will be held once again in the city of Hangzhou, China, in 2019. Not only high level speakers from the academic sphere have been invited to take part in the Expo and the Forum, but also representatives of cities developing ground-breaking approaches to leisure and making innovative leisure policies. Under the general theme “Leisure city, better life”, four topics will be explored in parallel in the WL Forum: Leisure and Rural Revitalization; Leisure and Sports; Leisure and the integration of Culture and Tourism, and Leisure and Industry Transformation. The WL Expo & Forum is guided by Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and is hosted by Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government and the WLO. New players have entered the local team in the role of organizers: Hangzhou Bureau of Commerce and Hangzhou Commerce and Tourism Group. The 2019 World Leisure Innovation Prize Award Ceremony will also take place during theWL Forum. This year’s call was particularly successful, with applications received from 12 different countries from around the globe, and applicant organizations ranging from cities and destination projects to NGOs, communities, research or independent projects. Furthermore, a group of students form the World Leisure Centers of Excellence will be conducting research and will write a report on the visitor experience in Hangzhou, through the side-event Leisure Experience Research Opportunity. More info at: http://worldleisure.org/expo/