Shanghai Expo implies a wide range of business opportunities, and the direct business opportunities are mainly the planning and construction of the Shanghai expo Park, cooperation related to "Shanghai Expo"brand, development of business related to conferences and exhibitions, tourism industry, management and consulting services, trade and retail, human resources development, media industry, etc..

In many competitions for business opportunities, the two categories of proving fund and licensed operation are most eye-catching. Many large domestic and foreign enterprises have started to try to join the group of "Partners"and "Senior Sponsors" Licensed operation has similarly become the target sought by many big domestic and foreign enterprises. There is also the competition for the establishment of enterprise pavilions. The qualification for the establishment of enterprise pavilions is considered in the four aspects: being world famous enterprise with a good international image; actively participating in the modernization drive of China; having intension, ability and means to participate in Shanghai Expo, and having, as an advantage, experience in successful participation in previous World Expos.

With regard to planning, design and construction, the total project investment in the carcassing work is as high as 18 bn. RMB yuan, and undoubtedly, is attractive to the domestic and foreign design and construction industries.
Shanghai Expo will involve a great number of exhibition services which will offer unprecedented market opportunities. The companies who can participate in Shanghai Expo will not only obtain plenty of returns on their investment, but will also obtain satisfactory achievements by promoting their brands.

Mass media are an industry which will greatly benefit from the effects produced in the advance promotion of Shanghai Expo. The business items of Shanghai Expo, involving the mass media, include home and oversea promotion, Shanghai Expo brand and image packaging, plane and multi-media advertisement design inside and outside the Shanghai Expo Park, and dissemination via newspapers, video and  internet, and are taken seriously by many media institutions at home and abroad.

The tourism industry and hotel management and investment industry will witness their unprecedented prosperous days during Shanghai Expo period. Shanghai Expo will attract 70 million visitors and will promote popular participation in tourism in China as well as in the Yangtze River Delta. This will be an extremely rare opportunity. So, Shanghai may, centering round Shanghai expo, introduce into the market tourist products of different forms, and study and develop service modes of hotels, transport, etc. suitable for Shanghai Expo.