Visitors prefer budget hotels

Family groups who visited Expo 2010 Shanghai in July have boosted occupancy rates in chain and middle-range hotels.

Expo tourists prefer budget hotels to high-end establishments, with the most popular being mid-range hotels located near the Expo Garden, according to statistics released by the domestic hotel booking website, ctrip.com.

For these hotels, visitors need to book at least three days in advance. Meanwhile, occupancy rates in luxury hotels were down 5 percent in July, compared to the previous month.

All-star gala at US pavilion

The USA Pavilion will hold an all-star gala performance titled "Stars Bring You to Expo", featuring celebrities such as NBA star Yao Ming and famed Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

The performance aims to raise money for poor children in China's rural areas. As the Global Ambassador for Expo 2010 Shanghai, Yao Ming began a foundation earlier this year to bring poor children from China's rural and catastrophe-stricken areas to the mega fair. These children have been invited to the gala event as special guests.

Song made to show frustration

The Odense Case Pavilion has composed a song called You Don't Want My Love, But My Badges, to express its frustration with visitors who seem more interested in collecting badges and stamps for their Expo passports than the exhibits on show.

Other pavilions including the Belgium-EU, Norway and the African Joint Pavilion have also complained about the badge- and stamp-seeking visitors. Expo organizers have urged visitors to slow down and pay more attention to the exhibits inside the pavilions.

Tour maps for China pavilions

The China Pavilion and the China Joint Provincial Pavilion recently released their own tour maps after receiving many complaints from visitors who said the large size of the pavilions lead to confusion.

The A4-sized maps clearly present all the exhibits in the pavilions, along with facilities such as toilets, drinking points, rest areas and elevators for the disabled. Emergency telephone numbers for lost children or people feeling unwell are also printed on the maps.

Volunteers' work acknowledged

The Madrid Case Pavilion has acknowledged the hard work of volunteers in the Urban Best Practice Areas, situated on the Puxi side of the Expo Garden.

A total of 63 volunteers received commemorative T-shirts and other gifts from Ignacio Nino, the commissioner-general of the pavilion. The volunteers were also treated to a tour of the pavilion.

Exhibit shows Italian solutions

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Italian Innovators exhibition was held at the Italian Pavilion recently.

The two-week exhibition will showcase Italian achievements. The Italian Pavilion hopes to share with the world Italy's latest inventions and innovations, all of which will provide effective solutions for ensuring future urban development improves and elevates the quality of life.

The exhibits cover a wide range of technological fields, such as e-government, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, human health and urban planning.