Liverpool at Shanghai: The Expo experience

Abstract

Liverpool was once the second city of the Empire. In the 1960s it created a sound that the world tapped its foot to and sporting achievements that were the envy of Europe. Following years in the doldrums, Liverpool has, in the last decade, undergone a dramatic renaissance. It looks and feels different. This rediscovered swagger has given Liverpool the confidence to tell a new story of heritage and regeneration and to trade again on its name and fame. It is not easy for small cities to attract positive attention. But this article describes how Liverpool made a bold decision, alone among UK cities including London, to sell itself on the biggest stage of all, the 2010 World Expo, in the most economically dynamic city, Shanghai, in a country whose economy is growing faster than any other, China. It examines the motivation, the challenges, the outcomes and the legacy.China trade; city marketing; Liverpool; Liverpool Vision; Shanghai; World Expo 2010