ASIA - Reed Exhibitions Greater China CEO Nat Wong (pictured) has confirmed the organiser’s growth in the region is dependent on local market potential, regardless of the mainland’s emergence as Asia’s largest market for business events.
Wong, who spoke at the UFI Annual Congress in Seoul last week, told EW that choosing when to place an event in Hong Kong and Macau, rather than Mainland China, is a decision based on potential speed of market growth.
“When we choose destinations in which to establish our events, the primary three considerations are: Is there a ready or fast-emerging market there? Is there, or will there soon be, the infrastructure to support us, on a logistical level?” he said. “Is there enough room for us to raise the scope and scale of the event?”
When the answers to these questions are positive, then, following the appropriate due diligence, the organiser makes its move.
“That is why, for example, you see that we have such a strong presence in South China, particularly with our electronic manufacturing events,” he said. “That is the part of China that incubates demand for electronics on a larger scale than anywhere else in the country.”
Reed’s placement of G2E Asia, its popular gaming expo in Macau provides another example of Reed’s growth outside of China. Wong claims this territory recorded gaming revenue of US$38bn in 2012 – six times larger than that of the Las Vegas Strip, and projections are that casino revenue will grow at least another 10 per cent in 2014 as the global economy improves.
Got a news story for Exhibition World? Email exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
