Tea expo's digital approach is perfect cuppa
An offline tea promotion event.
A digital approach is empowering the traditional tea industry "with its fragrance wafting through the Internet."
The Shanghai International Digital Tea (SIDT) Expo 2024 opened on Friday, featuring a series of activities through the year to fuel the consumption vitality and innovation power of the city, and upgrade China's traditional tea industry.
It is the first time that digital tools have been introduced into the city's international tea expo.
Now in its 19th edition, it is one of the most iconic tea activities of China's tea industry.
A forum broadcast online.
However, the event had been gradually losing market vitality and competitive edge, officials noted.
"We are changing the traditional way of exhibition relying on supply chain, while establishing a commercial matrix centering on digital form, young, fashion and innovation orientation and new wave of urban consumption to attract the young generation," said Huang Zheng, executive director of Shanghai Tea Trade Association.
A digital map of tea sipping sites in the city was unveiled, and more activities will be held.
A list of fine teas of the Yangtze River Delta region will be released, and year-long tea promotion events will be held online.
About 100 Oriental tea promotion ambassadors will be recruited nationwide, and a number of "digital teahouses at residents' doorway" at commercial circles, office buildings and communities, with immersive experiences across the city to be unveiled.
The goal of the digital approach is to cultivate the recognition and trigger the interest of young consumers in Chinese tea culture, as well as promote profound Chinese tea culture to the world and boost consumption and rural revitalization, said Wu Xingbao, executive vice director and secretary-general of the Shanghai Commerce Association.
