The spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, which had a lasting impression on many, was one of the most recent testaments to Asia's emergence on the world stage and to its ability to successfully plan and host even the largest of events. Rich in resources, Asia is now a major global participant in issues of economic, trade and tourism development, and this has seen a corresponding surge in the staging of events - economic forums, trade shows, product launches or tourism events.