Antony Reeve-Crook explores Hong Kong’s allure for international show launches.
Despite claims that the Hong Kong market is saturated by the world’s biggest organisers, the Chinese-owned Special Administrative State is home to an increasing number of international exhibition organisers and events.
The attraction for organisers is, of course, Hong Kong’s gateway status with mainland China. This is a place that offers companies from Europe and North America somewhere to take their shows to grow where, due to distance, their own visitor bases are unlikely to be cannibalised. And despite the heavy presence of big players such as UBM and the German Messes, everyone is trying their hand.
Diversified, which is looking to spread into China, demonstrated its interest in Hong Kong with the launch of its Seafood Exhibition 2010, one of three the organiser held recently at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The company has an office in Hong Kong, and is understood to be launching more in the near future.
Informa is launching a clone of its Europeans Vitafoods event at Hong Kong’s other major venue, AsiaWorld-Expo, this year. The event has been held at Palexpo in Geneva for almost 10 years and, at 7-8,000sqm, is now large enough that Informa felt it was appropriate to clone it.
IIR Exhibitions MD Peter Hall said: “We wanted to create an event that is an equivalent to our event in Geneva. And that’s possible to do in Hong Kong. It will have its own visitor base. The local HK market isn’t there, but it’s easier to get business from China.”
Group head of exhibitions at Incisive Media, Andy Mather, is also launching a new show at the HKCEC. Online Information is a simplified geo-clone of the technology show Online Life, which runs at London Olympia in the UK.
“We’d been hearing that East Asia was the most desirable growth area for our exhibitors. We decided Hong Kong was the best place to launch because it’s a go between for China and the West, and we wanted to attract both visitors and exhibitors from countries in that region.
“Our London event is attractive to people from the Middle East for example, but East Asia doesn’t come to London.”
The HKCEC is continually undergoing development to cope with the increased interest, not least a new rail line to run under the centre and service multiple districts and a potential Exhibition Station, which could provide direct access to the venue.
Cliff Wallace, former UFI president and MD of the HKCEC, says the venue has seen profits rise by six per cent for the first six months of this financial year, and expects the trend to continue.
“There’s a growing desire to go into China, but there’s still a comfort factor in Hong Kong. Good venues and a high level of professional private management fits in well with everyone’s requirements,” he adds.
Hong Kong is not the only option for people trying to break into the Chinese market. Taiwan and Singapore also offer routes into China, but Hong Kong is still the closest window for people who want a look-in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five of the HKCEC’s largest and most successful expos:
- HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair - Hong Kong Trade Development Council
- Electronic Asia - Hong Kong Trade Development Council and MMI Asia
- Mega Show - Kenfair Exhibition (HK) Ltd
- HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair - Hong Kong Trade Development Council
- Hong Kong International Jewellery and Gem Fair - UBM Asia
