With restaurant dining starting to emerge from long semi-lockdown, Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong and Asia Gourmet shows generated strong visitor interest.
The Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) is hosted
its first trade shows last week since February. Between November 11 and
13, Informa Markets launched four B2B events at HKCEC’s Hall 1, normally
reserved for major events like Filmart, Vinexpo or HOFEX.
While it’s not humming quite as much as it does when convention
season is in full swing — which at the HKCEC is every season —
considering the distancing impact of COVID-19, the main entrance is
active, if cautious.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, response by both exhibitors and visitors was
largely positive, with most expressing a strong desire to “get back to
business”.
“Our exhibitors and visitor attendance and support has provided a
huge voice in the industry and strongly confirms the significance of our
shows,” commented Informa Marketing Communication Executive Bethany
Lai.
Masked up exhibitors at Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong and Asia Gourmet, Hong Kong's only F&B show in 2020.Roughly 270 exhibitors were lined up for Restaurant & Bar Hong
Kong and Asia Gourmet (RBHK X GA), which will be the only F&B show
in Hong Kong for 2020; more than 30 exhibitors attended Natural &
Organic Asia (NOA), which exploited the current focus on health and
wellness; similarly many of the 450 building, engineering and security
firms showcased at Build 4 Asia focused on green tech and innovation;
and the Retail Asia Conference & Expo (RACE) welcomed industry
leaders to explore the impact of COVID-19 on retailing and to consider
its digital future. All four shows included seminars and demonstrations,
with RBHK X GA managing a series of wine tastings.
Though Informa was unable to provide visitor numbers at press time,
Lai noted the organiser was pleased with the results given the COVID-19
hurdles. “A lot of key industry individuals attended to show support.
Overall it’s a positive, and the outcome is beyond expectation.”
Informa and the HKCEC observed now-standard precautionary measures,
including mandatory temperature checks at entrances and use of face
masks, and hand sanitising reminders. Food consumption was restricted to
designated areas, participants were subtly discouraged from shaking
hands, and seminar spaces were configured with two- and four-seat
maximums. Staff walked the floor with signage reminding visitors to
remain one metre apart (often to little effect), and exhibitor booths
were spaced farther apart than has been standard in the past.
With travel restrictions and quarantines still in full force (expect
for the SIN-HK air travel bubble that launched over the weekend), the
focus for participants at all four shows was on the local market, and
growing businesses at home. With restaurant dining starting to emerge
from a long semi-lockdown RBHK X GA generated strong visitor interest,
followed closely by NOA, which was riding the healthy living wave
brought on by the pandemic.
“We’ve seen a rising trend in B2B and B2C — and not just because of
the pandemic. People are pondering a healthier diet,” said exhibitor
Winnie Choi, assistant business development manager for plant-based
protein brand distributor Green Common (OmniPork, Beyond Meat). “There’s
been restaurant demand from all sectors, so we wanted to take advantage
of that. If there’s a fourth wave there’s a chance any other show could
be cancelled, so we thought we should take advantage of this one while
we can.”
Organiser, Informa, and host venue HKCEC observed now-standard precautionary measures, including seminar spaces configured with two- and four-seat maximums.Exhibitors and visitors alike acknowledged that some participants
opted out of attending a potentially crowded trade show, but just as
many felt comfortable with the HKCEC, Informa and Hong Kong’s
biosecurity protocols. Many were ultimately won over by the prospect of
restarting businesses beyond Zoom.
“It was fantastic to attend an in-person conference and meet with
other industry colleagues,” said RACE visitor Simon Oxley, executive
director, head of global business development, LF Logistics. “2020 has
been a difficult year and this conference reminded me of the importance
of sharing our knowledge in person.”