This paper aims at studying the business tourism that affects this economically emerging country, with special regard to the business tourism in Guangzhou (better known as Canton), its influence on urban economy and its relations with other types of tourism. A qualitative-quantitative approach has been used: the qualitative part has been based upon the existing literature and the direct observation of the analysed area, during a field mission of about one month; the quantitative part has been based on related figures. Business tourism represents the primary motivation of inbound tourism in Guangzhou, which is a hot destination for investments, offering considerable business opportunities. Guangzhou is also the Chinese city that hosts the highest number of trade fairs, the most important of which is the "China Import and Export Fair", the biggest Chinese commercial fair. Figures about inbound business tourism flow are not available. Nevertheless, we can assume that business tourism represents the core business of the tourism sector in the city and estimate that the related incoming flow is not less than one million visitors per year.

Since the 1950s, the urban structure of Abruzzo has gradually polarized on the area of Pescara-Chieti, as the expression of a series of location and settlement advantages. There, the trade sector, favoured by a period of expansion of large-scale commercial distribution, represented a powerful vehicle for territorial convergence and cohesion, contributing to the progressive process of marginalization of urban proximity trade. The aim of this work is to go beyond the opposition between suburban shopping center/central urban trade and to propose an interpretation at intra-urban scale that starts from peripheral neighbourhoods and peculiar spaces: They are able, in some cases, to better represent urban identity, but, above all, to provide a favourable observation point from which to promote a balanced and sustainable reorganization of the city.