The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center (KEC) was built by Taiwan’s central government in an attempt to encourage more exhibition-related business in the South. The Ministry of Economic Affairs issued a budget of NTD 300 million (approx. US$ 100 million) to build the exhibition hall. In 2013 through a truly international bidding process upon the completion of KEC, operation rights were transferred to Interplan Group (formerly Uniplan Taiwan) on January 4th, 2014. Kaohsiung Exhibition Center Corp. (KECC) is a subsidiary of Interplan Group set up solely to run KEC, which began operating a few months prior to the opening of KEC. The Taiwan International Fastener Show marks KEC’s first exhibition. After having been open scarcely a year and a half, KEC has already shown steady growth, by bringing new business opportunities, as well as upgrading the quality of service as assured during the bid for Taiwan’s most modern venue. Aside from that, in 2014 the direct economic impact created through KEC was NTD 33.5 billion while also generating purchasing opportunities of NTD 236.1 billion in shopping, by attracting local and international consumers. Due to this, the Golden Thumb Award PPP (Public, Private, Partnership collaboration) was awarded to KEC for its contribution in the development of economic growth in Southern Taiwan.
