"The opportunity is here," said Zhong Zhihui, a 36-year-old overseas returned student who has chosen Chengdu to continue his career.
The electronic information industry is likely to be the first to see a windfall from the Fortune Global Forum, said Xiang Qihan, CEO of Yonyou Software Co Ltd.
The decision to hold this year's 2013 Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu has piqued the interest of many foreign companies that had previously been shy about investing in the Sichuan capital.
Tap4Fun is one of the few Chinese game developers that makes products for a global audience, said Charlie Moseley, creative director of the company.
Chengdu is the birthplace of Happy Farmhouse tourism, one of the city's signature forms of entertainment.
The past few years saw surging Chinese investments in Europe marked by big projects and record numbers across countries in the crisis-hit continent.
Smaller, more space for farms, education, elderly