Exhibitions are bouncing back to Hong Kong: association

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) has released its latest annual exhibition survey, which acts as an important barometer of the performance of the industry.

Covering the calendar year 2023, the survey provides encouraging details of a rebound in the exhibition activities in Hong Kong since its post-pandemic reopening in 2022 and the return of international business travellers to the city.

The 125 large-scale exhibitions that were hosted in Hong Kong in 2023 represented a 30% increase over 2022 numbers, bringing with them significant increases in exhibiting companies and visitor numbers.

Attendee numbers at these exhibitions soared significantly year-on-year, with the number of exhibiting companies rising by over 400%, from under 9,000 to over 45,000. The survey recorded a similarly dramatic increase in the number of exhibition visitors, with numbers jumping by nearly 560% to break the 1.4-million mark. Floorspace occupied by “Trade” and “Trade and Consumer” exhibitions also increased by nearly 280% to almost 890,000 sqm.

Commenting on the survey results, HKECIA chairman Stuart Bailey, who was recently re-elected for a fifth term in his role at the association, said: “This is a rebound we have been expecting, and which our exhibition venues and organisers in Hong Kong have worked hard to make happen.”

Bailey further shared that the HKECIA has been aided by the Hong Kong government’s Incentive Scheme for Recurrent Exhibitions (ISRE), which was launched in July 2023 to support the recovery of the exhibition industry by incentivising organisers to stage their recurrent exhibitions in Hong Kong.

“Organisers and visitors [are] flocking back to Hong Kong in numbers,” he said. “Given the clear benefits it is bringing to Hong Kong’s wider economy, we do urge that the scheme continues to be funded until June 2026, as originally announced.”

The survey results have also proven to be a useful yardstick for assessing how quickly the exhibition industry is recovering to pre-COVID levels, with 2023 numbers still reflecting a 9% drop in the number of “Trade” and “Trade and Consumer” exhibitions compared to pre-COVID numbers, and the numbers of exhibiting companies and of visitors stand at roughly three quarters of pre-COVID levels.

However, Bailey remains optimistic. “The survey shows that momentum is building,” he said. “As long as flight capacity to Hong Kong continues to grow, we expect that the volume of international exhibitors and visitors in 2024 will gradually increase from 2023. This is because Hong Kong continues to offer the same unique advantages as it did before the pandemic. There are few other places in Asia that can match this city for its world-class service and outstanding facilities and infrastructure, making it an ideal location for hosting trade exhibitions and international conventions.”