SPORTEL general manager Amparo Di Fede (right), pictured here with Santiago Martinez, director of Nexus Sports Entertainment & Technology, has hailed the success of SPORTELAsia ©SPORTEL

SPORTEL general manager Amparo Di Fede has described the Asian convention here as "very successful" with the level of participation exceeding expectations.

The event, which concludes today, has been attended by a total of 736 people from 371 companies, representing 47 countries.

It eclipses the expected figure of 600 and marks a significant improvement on the 603 attendees at the 2014 SPORTELAsia in the Chinese city of Shanghai.

There was also a 22 per cent increase in new companies compared to the last Asian convention. 

"The goal was to reach the Asian community and so the statistics are very good," Di Fede told insidethegames.

"Forty eight per cent of the participants are from Asia so this is great."

SPORTELAsia is held biennially, but Di Fede confirmed plans are in place to hold a conference-based event on the continent in the years between each edition.

"The Asian market is very promising so we plan to come back here maybe more frequently, maybe every year" she added.

Of the 2,786 participants at the 2015 SPORTELMonaco, 13.5 per cent were from Asia and the Middle East.

"We’d noticed a big change out of Asia at SPORTELMonaco with a high attendance last year," said David Jones, SPORTEL’s sales and marketing manager. 

SPORTELAsia has been attended by a total of 727 people, according to latest figures
SPORTELAsia has been attended by a total of 727 people, according to latest figures ©SPORTEL

He added: "We already had high expectations due to the developments over the last year in Asia, specifically out of China, which opened the market for new media, and with all the internet platforms that are already out there."

Jones said the aim is to establish a permanent location for SPORTELAsia, which is now in its fourth edition.

He also revealed that another venue will be added to SPORTELMonaco this year with demand growing for the annual event held at Monte Carlo’s Grimaldi Forum.

"In 2012, we added more floor space to SPORTELMonaco and just three years later we’d already run out of that space," said Jones.

"So this year, we’re happy to say that we’re actually adding another venue to SPORTELMonaco so the entire set-up is going to change completely."

SPORTEL conventions gather top level executives from all over the world, representing sports networks, international sports federations, sports marketing agencies, production companies, sports content right owners and distributors, technology and new media.

The 2016 SPORTELMonaco is due to take place in October.