The Entertainization of Business Event: The Case of Alibaba Computing Conference in Hangzhou

Abstract

The nature of conferences, trade shows, and entertainments has evolved, particularly in China, to become a hybrid event combining the features of all three hitherto separate forms. A specific example that has attracted attention is the Hangzhou Computing Conference hosted by Alibaba. Within eight years, this event has grown from nothing to be a mega business affair in China and a globally influential hi-tech event. In 2018, it attracted 120,000 onsite attendees from 81 countries and 10 million online viewers. This study describes the evolution of the Conference and suggests that the practice of entertainization has been a critical factor in satisfying different stakeholders and the event’s continuing success. Other variables of importance include the strong levels of personal support, harmonious government-organizer relationships, the sophisticated supporting supply chain, and the well-received destination image. The paper also delineates the nature of entertainization, both positive and negative, and how the concept of entertainization has been implemented.