A photographer takes pictures of runners during a race. (People’s Daily Online/Xia Xiaolun)

The 4th China Marathon Expo was held from Jan. 2-4 in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian province. In addition to a race, two themed summits were held during the expo.

One of the summits focused on improving the marathon industry, while the other was on how to use technology to support high-quality marathon events.

The exhibition area of the 4th China Marathon Expo reached 26,000 square meters and showcased nearly 300 brands, including 110 domestic exhibitors, 13 foreign exhibitors, and 44 service providers.

China has witnessed a marathon craze in recent years. By the end of 2020, the value of the marathon industry is projected to reach 120 billion yuan, and it is estimated that about 1,900 marathons with over 800 participants will be held, and more than 10 million people will take part in various types of marathon events throughout the year, according to a development plan of the industry released by the 11 ministries and commissions in 2018.

In fact, in 2019 alone, more than 1,900 marathons and related events were launched, according to a conference of the Chinese Athletics Association held in mid-December, 2019.

Marathons have become an important channel for urban development, as they can produce economic benefits directly and also stimulate related industries to develop, such as sports equipment, tourism, catering, and transportation.