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Hong Kong: a thriving environment for global trade shows
Building on the meetings momentum As we move through 2025, Hong Kong continues to build on the incredible momentum from 2024, when the territory received 1.42m overnight MICE visitors. This represented an increase of 10 % year-on-year. The importance of the international market is clear: Last year, half of all visitors who came for MICE events came from overseas, and the exhibition segment accounted for over 20 % of that. The appeal of Hong Kong is truly international.
Success is not new and Hong Kong has long been recognised as international trade fair capital of Asia. The drawing power is backed by strong governmental support, an excellent business set-up and infrastructure, as well as a destination appeal that allows every show to thrive and leaves visitors rewarded in many dimensions.
The destination is also full of key professional players in the business events and tourism sector and they echo the sentiment that the territory has special appeal.“ In 2025, Hong Kong not only plays host to prestigious high-yield business events but also stages a wide spectrum of mega art and culture, sports and entertainment events. These events will create the synergy of enriching the overall
destination experiences for exhibition visitors, driving longer lengths of stay and delivering tremendous benefits to Hong Kong’ s economy,” is the opinion of Marilyn Tham, general manager, MICE & Cruise Division, at Hong Kong Tourism Board( HKTB).
Star line-up of shows set for 2025 This year, the city will host over 90 trade shows, including all the recurrent shows of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council( HKTDC), Global Sources, Informa markets and ComAsia, but also key events such as APLF Leather, the biennial HOFEX & ProWine Hong Kong and returning IAAPA Expo Asia in 2026. For Informa Markets, on top of the range of recurrent shows, they are also bringing their flagship MICE trade shows and geo-adapting into the APAC region, considering Hong Kong as the destination of choice for global expansion. A case in point being last year’ s inaugural Super Terminal Expo.
Impressive leap forward for results and line up Hong Kong’ s two world-leading convention centres continue to record impressive results. Managing director of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre( HKCEC), Monica Lee- Müller, says that trade exhibitions at the
Far left: Hong Kong trade shows: fueling growth
Left: Global Sources: Consumer electronics and electronic components all on show at October’ s AWE
HKCEC fully returned to pre-pandemic levels fully in 2024, achieving a“ 100 % recovery”. She reports that 812 events were held at the venue throughout last year, including 33 new exhibitions and conferences, as well as approximately 100 international ones.
Lee notes that Hong Kong continues to be the preferred destination for international events in Asia, citing the accessibility of HKCEC, which is located in the business district, and backed up by high-quality services.
Organiser and their delegates are voting with their feet: In February, Consensus Hong Kong 2025 attracted 10,000 professionals from the crypto, blockchain, and Web3 sectors from across 102 countries and regions, including 7,500 non-locals, and, in July next year, HKCEC will host the first overseas edition of the fintech, gaming and robotics show, Leap, introducing a new series called Leap East as it expands into Asia.
With a number of inaugural conventions and exhibitions taking place in AsiaWorld-Expo( AWE), ranging from the flagship MICE trade show Connect Marketplace Hong Kong, the aviation show of Airspace Asia, to the exhibition industry’ s global gathering at the UFI Congress in November, AWE is proud to share its strategic location, which is strengthened even further by the new development of the airport area and the Greater Bay Area.
AsiaWorld-Expo CEO Irene Chan says:“ Located at the heart of Mainland China’ s fast-growing Greater Bay Area, AWE is the perfect showcase of the synergies and rich potential of this vibrant market.” The CEO also underlines 2025 is a landmark year due to the ongoing development of SKYCITY.
Global flagship MICE trade events converge in Hong Kong Ahead of the UFI Global Congress in November. Michael Duck, executive VP at Informa and past UFI president, points out the Congress concludes a
44 Issue 3 2025 www. exhibitionworld. co. uk