Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po delivers a speech during opening ceremony of four large international trade fairs: HOFEX2023, ProWine, Retail Asia Conference EXPO, and Build Asia 2023 in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on May 10, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will launch a three-year-long program, costing HK$1.4 billion ($178.8 million), to gear up the sustainable development of the city’s exhibition industry, with more than 200 exhibitions expected to be sponsored.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced the move on Wednesday when he officiated at the joint opening ceremony for four exhibitions, covering the catering, liquor, retail and construction sectors, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
A number of foreign delegations have their national pavilions at the show, such as the German Pavilion and the French Pavilion, to explore new markets in Hong Kong and Asia
More than 2,700 exhibitors and brands from 16 countries and regions are participating in the exhibitions, which take up a total area of 40,000 square meters, with more than 38,000 international buyers attending. The exhibitions include ProWine Hong Kong @HOFEX.
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Chan said that, given the SAR’s position as the first duty-free port for wine and its advanced logistics network, the SAR government is confident that the wine industry can tap the fast-growing markets in the region, especially in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
A number of foreign delegations have their national pavilions at the show, such as the German Pavilion and the French Pavilion, to explore new markets in Hong Kong and Asia.
“Hong Kong kept its spot as a global wine trading hub even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The total value of our wine re-exports increased by 45 percent year-on-year in 2022, with 70 percent sold to Macao and the Chinese mainland,” Chan said.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Hotel Development Leaders’ Summit, making its debut for the exhibitions, will hold in-depth discussions on the role of the hotel and catering industries in the Greater Bay Area’s development, and extend recognition to industry professionals for their outstanding performance.
“To capture the business opportunities arising from the global tourism recovery in the post-pandemic era, both the enthusiasm for international participation and the scale of the exhibitions have been further enhanced. This is expected to play a key role in connecting various sectors of the global economy,” said David Bondi, senior vice-president of Informa Markets Asia, the organizer of the exhibitions.
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As Asia’s leading food and hospitality trade show, HOFEX brings together more than 25,000 buyers and 1,200 brands from around the world, including exhibitors from the Chinese mainland, Denmark, Italy and Macao.
A series of traditional and novel events, such as culinary competitions, forums and award ceremonies, will be held from Wednesday to Friday to provide a platform for global exhibitors and buyers to exchange views and inspire more innovative business ideas.
The Hong Kong International Culinary Classic competition, for instance, has attracted more than 300 chefs from seven countries and regions.