Concern from global buyers over increasing costs and falling consumer confidence did not dampen enthusiasm for the various major trade exhibitions held in last October, including five China Sourcing Fairs held at AsiaWorld-Expo between 12-15 and 20-23 October and from 30 October to 2 November 2008.
A survey by the event organizer, Global Sources, of more than 300 buyers, showed that while sourcing companies are concerned about the impact of the global financial credit crunch, the solutions include consolidating existing suppliers, developing new markets and sourcing competitively priced products. Overall, 77% of the buyers plan to increase or keep their sourcing volume at the same level over the next 12 months, and will continue to source from China.
The China Sourcing Fairs which cover the electronics and components, gifts and home products, baby and children’s products, fashion accessories and underwear and swimwear sectors, offered the ideal platform for exhibitors and buyers to focus their business strategy for the year ahead.
Four other international trade fairs in October on environment protection, furniture, sports wear and equipment and building materials and hardware also saw good attendance, especially from emerging markets.
“The importance and relevance of these fairs coupled with the pivotal role of Hong Kong in this global buying cycle was clear to see at AsiaWorld-Expo last month,” said Allen Ha, Chief Executive Officer of AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited.
“For us it is a great opportunity to find all the products in one place. I started to come to Hong Kong a few years ago. It is my third or fourth time to the Global Sources Fair and I think the Fair is expanding. China is a factory of the world and here we can also meet not only Chinese suppliers but also from Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. For the next few years, Chinese suppliers will remain the most important for us,” said Janusz Antas, President of Top Mark from Poland at the China Sourcing Fairs. “We are here to look for new products, new models and to get an inspiration of what is on the market in China. There is a lot of variety of products here. China is important for me because of the prices - there is so much competition out there so the price is really attractive for us. We stay three days out of the whole four days,” said another buyer, Sjef van Gastel, Director of Bunnies Jeugdschoenen from The Netherlands at the Fairs.
“This is our first time at the show. It is quite impressive. There are many international buyers, and we have seen a lot of potential customers. There are Russians, Italians and Japanese buyers, people from many different countries,” said Barry Cheng, Furniture Consultant, Concept Workshop Ltd, exhibitor of Hong Kong International Furniture Fair. “There is a good range of exhibitors. It is a busy fair, and we have found some new suppliers,” said Mylene H. Co, Director, Universal Colmsen, a visitor from the Philippines at the show.
Overall 2008 was a strong year for AsiaWorld-Expo, Asia’s premier exhibitions and events venue with a strong calendar of recurring and new events attracting tens of thousands of local, regional and international trade show visitors to AsiaWorld-Expo.
Looking ahead: Over 12 newly confirmed trade events in 2009 from Logistics, technology, aviation and light consumer goods sectors at AsiaWorld-Expo
The successful hosting of many major international trade exhibitions, including the likes of ITU Telecom World 2006, Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress 2007, and the China Sourcing Fairs as well as large-scale regional and international conventions has successfully built the reputation of AsiaWorld-Expo as Asia’s premier international exhibition, conference and events venue. Building on the strong 3 years of operations and the efforts from the last year, AsiaWorld-Expo has secured a good mix of not only recurring events but also new events with organizers from Europe, the US and Asia.
In line with Hong Kong’s global role as a logistics hub - the Courier and Parcel Logistics Expo Asia 2009 organized by UKIP Media and Events from the UK will be held at AsiaWorld-Expo from 19 to 21 June. This new business-to-business event aims to be the leading international trade show dedicated to showcasing technologies and services across the fast-growing and high-value global express and parcel delivery sector and providing an important meeting point for the courier and express logistics industry in the Asia Pacific region while the new 2009 LED+Light-Tech Show organized by D&A International Corp from Taiwan will feature the latest lighting products.
Building on from the success of the Asian Aerospace International Expo & Congress held for the first time in Hong Kong in 2007, AsiaWorld-Expo has now firmly established itself as the venue of choice in Asia for the aviation sector. September 8 to 10 sees the return of the world’s leading event for Asia’s commercial aviation sector, the Asian Aerospace International Expo & Congress 2009. With leaders from the aeronautical and commercial aviation community expected to converge on Hong Kong, UK-based international event organizers Reed Exhibitions, expect this year’s event to be even larger than the 2007 version.
Held concurrently to - and complementary with - Asian Aerospace will be Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia 2009, Air Freight Asia 2009, and Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium (APAT 2009).
These events have been attracted by the combination of facilities at AsiaWorld-Expo, its strategic location alongside the award-winning Hong Kong International Airport and Hong Kong’s pivotal role in the development of China’s aviation sector.
Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE 2009), which brings together leading international vendors and experts from across the business jet community, is organized by the National Business Aviation Association based in the US and will be held again from 11 to 12 February. The Association represents more than 8,000 member companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community.
Another new event, Aviation Week MRO Asia, will be held in December. The event focuses on the essential business of aviation modernization, maintenance and repairs.
2009: China Sourcing Fairs celebrate 3rd year with expansion and new fairs
Following their relocation to Hong Kong from Shanghai in April 2006, Global Sources’ China Sourcing Fairs have gone from strength to strength. Demand from growing exhibitor and visitor numbers has prompted the organizers to introduce new fairs, expand floor space and offer a calendar of expert speaker seminars and business matching services.
In 2009, the line up will be expanded to include India Sourcing Fair: Home Products (20-23 April), featuring quality suppliers of a wide range products made in India and China Sourcing Fair: Security Products (12-15 October), featuring the latest in security systems. These events will add to the new China Sourcing Fair: Home Products (20-23 April and 20-23 October) and China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Premiums (28 April – 1 May and 20-23 October), which have been expanded from the popular China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products.
Newly confirmed trade events to be held in 2009 at a glance
- Courier and Parcel Logistics Expo Asia 2009
- Asian Aerospace International Expo & Congress 2009
- Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia 2009
- Air Freight Asia 2009
- Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium (APAT 2009)
- India Sourcing Fair: Home Products
- Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE 2009)
- China Sourcing Fair: Security Products
- China Sourcing Fair: Home Products
- China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Premiums
- 2009 LED+Light-Tech Show
- Aviation Week MRO Asia
- Others (more to be announced later)