"Hong Kong's MICE industry has remained resilient and continues to operate with a top-notch standard under the new normal," says Kenneth Wong, general manager, MICE and cruise, HKTB. Photo Credit: cozyta/Gettyimages
Despite a strict zero-Covid policy, the future calendar of events for
Hong Kong is looking positive, with Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)
recently securing 14 large-scale international MICE events for 2022 and
beyond. These events are expected to attract 60,000 participants and
include RISE Conference 2022-2026, Greater Bay Area Artificial
Intelligence and Robotics Conference 2022 and IEEE Region 10 Conference
2022.
“During the pandemic, Hong Kong’s MICE industry has remained
resilient and continues to operate with a top-notch standard under the
new normal,” said HKTB General Manager, MICE and Cruise, Kenneth Wong.
“To provide both event organisers and delegates with a safe and seamless
event experience, industry players are constantly enhancing facilities
and their first-class services to address the latest needs.”
This includes upgrades at Hong Kong’s major convention centres,
AsiaWorld-Expo, where a US$77 million venue-wide renovation includes
covers a new hybrid meeting facility and the world-first CLeanTech
sanitisation device; and Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre,
which has upgraded hardware, improved technology and network
connectivity, and installed advanced disinfection facilities.
To restore confidence in business travel and tourism, HKTB launched
the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency earlier this year, a standardised
hygiene protocol for tourism-related sectors, which now includes more
than 2,800 approved operators.
HKTB is also looking to leverage trends in experiential travel to
entice corporate groups back to the destination. Wong said the recently
launched a “West Kowloon” neighbourhood programme, highlighting the
district’s rich heritage and cultural treasures in Yau Ma Tei and
Jordan, will soon be extended to include team-building experiences,
themed itineraries and the use of cultural venues for private events.
As well as providing a venue rental subsidy for exhibitions and
international conferences, Wong said HKTB has made funding support more
flexible, especially for planners of small-scale corporate meetings and
events.
Looking ahead, Wong believes the MICE segment will continue to be a
growth engine for recovery, with short-haul travel throughout China’s
Greater Bay Area (GBA) as the main driver.
“GBA will serve Hong Kong with a good source of buyers and sellers,
sponsors and attendees for conventions and exhibitions; as well as
providing even richer itinerary options for incentive planners,” he
said. “Under this positioning as an international hub, Hong Kong will
continue to serve its significant role as a super-connector between the
Mainland and international markets.”