The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) annual exhibition survey 2015 has revealed a 13 per cent rise in visitor numbers.
The survey, which presents a snapshot of the state of the Hong Kong exhibition industry, revealed a positive year for the industry in 2015.
The total number of companies choosing to exhibit in Hong Kong also rose slightly, following strong attendance from mainland China and International exhibitors.
The 13 per cent rise over 2014 was led by a return of Hong Kong visitors and a solid rise in visitors from China.
The survey was based on the results of questionnaires sent to 89 trade and trade and consumer exhibitions using 2,000sqm of floor space or above. Responses from 77 trade and trade and consumer exhibitions were received. Purely consumer exhibitions were not included in the results.
In 2015, the number of companies choosing to exhibit in Hong Kong rose to 67,019, from 66,164 the previous year, a relatively modest rise of 1.29 per cent.
Although this figure was moderated by a downturn in Hong Kong exhibiting companies, regional, international and mainland China exhibiting companies all showed increases. Healthy growth of 6.02 per cent in International exhibiting companies and 8.40 per cent in mainland China exhibiting companies were highlights of the survey.
Visitor numbers showed slightly different but similarly positive trends. Despite the previously noted downturn in Hong Kong exhibiting companies, the number of Hong Kong-based visitors jumped by an impressive 19.78 per cent, followed by good growth in mainland China visitor numbers at 9.36 per cent.
Meanwhile, regional and international visitor numbers each recorded minor dips after particularly strong growth the previous year. In total, visitor numbers for the year broke the two million mark and recorded strong overall growth of 12.92 per cent.
After a drop the previous year, in 2015 net meterage occupied by exhibitors rose again by 2.59 per cent, reaching 920,903sqm. Growth in net meterage is generally a sign of business optimism, and this was reflected too in the approximate stand rental revenues for the year, which rose by 5.31 per cent over 2014.
