Large-scale international sporting events are renowned for elevating a city’s standing, stimulating economic prosperity, and catalyzing infrastructure development. The 19th Asian Games currently underway in Hangzhou is no exception; it has bestowed prestige upon the city while generating a substantial economic impact.
Running from September 23 to October 8, this edition of the Games not only boasts the largest-ever number of participants but also wields a transformative influence on Hangzhou’s local economy through various means.
Notably, Hangzhou, the birthplace of tech giant Alibaba, has harnessed its status as an internet hub by embracing the digitalization of sports.
In a groundbreaking step, these Games have fully embraced cloud technology, earning the distinction of being the inaugural “cloud-based Asian Games.” This entails the utilization of cloud services in lieu of traditional data centers, thereby obviating the need for temporary server rooms for live sports event broadcasting.
According to Liu Weiguang, Vice President of Alibaba, when the Asian Games operates on a fully cloud-based operating system, the underlying computing and storage capabilities of the cloud platform can be harnessed to their fullest potential. This transformation enhances the efficiency of sports commentary, analysis, and live streaming, delivering an optimal viewing experience.
To further elevate the sporting experience for Hangzhou residents, AI technology has been deployed to offer a suite of convenient features across 36 public sports venues, 83 municipal fitness centers, and 134 private fitness locations. These functionalities encompass reservation services, payment options, and video tutorials.
Data from Zhejiang provincial authorities reveals that the investment made in preparing for the Asian Games between 2016 and 2020 significantly bolstered Hangzhou’s local economy, contributing approximately 414.1 billion yuan ($56.65 billion). This amounted to 7.6 percent of the city’s overall growth during that period.
Additionally, preparations for the event generated approximately 670,000 jobs, constituting 2.4 percent of the total local employment during the same timeframe.
Capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the Asian Games, Hangzhou has actively improved its urban infrastructure and enhanced the quality of life for its residents. By the close of 2022, over 1,057 old residential neighborhoods had undergone renovation, benefiting more than 410,000 households.
Anticipating record-breaking tourism figures, the Hangzhou Asian Games is expected to draw in a remarkable number of visitors. The Hangzhou Cultural and Tourism Big Data Center projects an influx of over 20 million tourists during the event, further highlighting the Games’ multifaceted impact on the city.