The 2024 King Pro League (KPL) Grand Finals, China's premier Honor of Kings tournament, wrapped up in Beijing on Saturday, captivating over 3,000 passionate fans on site and millions of viewers online.
Esports enthusiasts from across China gathered in Beijing for the finals, where their favorite teams battled for ultimate glory. Chengdu AG Super Play claimed the championship after bouncing back from an early loss to Beijing WB in the qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Chongqing Wolves pulled off thrilling comebacks, including a "one versus two" victory against Jinan RW Xia and Wuhan eStarPro.
"I'm a fan of Chongqing Wolves. I've watched the Wolves' games in Chongqing and Shanghai. This is my first finals," said a esports fan.
Major tournaments like the KPL are not just a spectacle for fans. They're also a driving force behind the surging revenue in esports streaming and ticket sales.
"Our viewership scale this year has grown by more than 20 percent compared to 2023. Ticket sales have also seen an explosive growth. Overall, our views are now comparable to those of many traditional sports," said Huang Cheng, head of the King of Glory Professional League.
Esports has continued its rapid expansion in China. A recent report estimates the sector is expected to grow into an industry of about 30 billion U.S.dollars by the end of this year.
It is also becoming a viable career path for young people in China.
"The booming esports industry has created more job opportunities for young people. It has now become a newly-emerged industry in the sports field,” said Li Daheng, a member of the Chongqing Wolves Esports team.
Xu Bicheng (Yinuo), a member of Chengdu AG, made headlines representing Team China during the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where Honor of Kings debuted as an official sport.
Esports tournament finals in China attract millions of online viewers
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
