Competitive edge

Meanwhile, following a strong campaign at the Beijing Games, American soft drink giant Coca-Cola, which holds half of the Chinese soft drink market, is counting on the expo to fend off rival competitor Pepsi, which is creeping up with a 30-percent share of the Chinese market.

Related readings:  World Expo 2010  Related readings:  Pandas to be seen at Shanghai Expo  Fake Expo products seized in crackdown  Organizer invites Taiwanese to World Expo  Interview: Italian 'way of life' to lead 2010 Shanghai Expo, official says

"Expo 2010 will be another key milestone for us in stimulating our business and successfully achieving our goals in the Chinese market," said Stefanie Danne, a spokesperson for The Coca-Cola Company, for which China is its fourth-largest market.

"We want to create a strong connection with Chinese customers."

While experts say benefits from the expo will cross industries, the biggest handout will go to the struggling airline sector, one of the hardest-hit last year. It was already reeling from soaring fuel prices prior to the credit crunch before the worldwide spread of the infectious H1N1 virus compounded industry challenges.

With an estimated 66 million domestic travelers and 4 million overseas visitors touching down in the city next year, airlines like Germany's Lufthansa hope to build customer loyalty.

"We will take this opportunity to show customers coming to China the high quality of our services," said Frank Pttmann, director of corporate communications at Lufthansa.

All of this increased exposure to the Chinese market, if approached smartly, will only fuel momentum for Western companies in China, now and in the future, said Ho.

"(It) is a chance for them to learn about Chinese consumers, to understand the needs, demands and culture (and) to feel the energy and strong growth in China's market so they can figure out ideas on how to best participate," she added.