AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) in collaboration with three leading MICE partners from Hong Kong and Zhuhai announced the formation of a new “Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridgehead EXPO Tourism Belt” alliance last Thursday (5 July 2018). The alliance members are committed to strengthening the joint promotion of Hong Kong and Zhuhai MICE development, especially in terms of the multi-venue business models of “One Fair, Two Cross-Boundary Venues” and “One Journey Multiple Destinations”. The formation of this strategic alliance demonstrates the readiness of all partners to embrace the many new opportunities brought about by the continued development of the Greater Bay Area.
To signify this landmark “Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridgehead EXPO Tourism Belt” alliance, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony was held in Zhuhai last week, officially confirming future cooperation between AWE, Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center (ZHCEC), Hong Kong Regal Hotel and Zhuhai Chimelong Henqing Bay Hotel. Over a hundred delegates and media representatives from Hong Kong and Zhuhai attended the event.
In addition to promoting the “One Fair, Two Cross-Boundary Venues” and “One Journey Multiple Destinations” business models, the alliance will also jointly explore mutually-beneficial marketing strategies, and enhance their synergistic connections to attract international organisers by marketing the regional concept worldwide. They will also collaborate with a view to facilitating the further development of the Greater Bay Area, which gives MICE organisers access to a vast and affluent urban area within a one-hour radius. Together, the alliance partners are committed to strengthening the role of Hong Kong and Zhuhai as a regional hub for MICE events, and attracting high-end business travellers from around the globe.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) is expected to open in the latter half of 2018, after which it will take just half an hour to travel between Hong Kong and Zhuhai. Located adjacent to the bridge’s entry point, AWE is the natural gateway to the entire Pearl River Delta region. Looking ahead, the number of Mainland delegates and tourists coming for events at AWE is expected to increase significantly, creating many more business contacts and opportunities. AWE and ZHCEC have been collaborating since 2015 when they signed a formal partnership agreement affirming the strategic cooperation between the two venues in promoting the “One Fair, Two Cross-Boundary Venues” exhibition model. This model is expected to become an even more important trend after the bridge is opened.
By leveraging the joint efforts and cross-border power of the alliance, AWE hopes to expand the scope of its expo-travel cooperation, increase global awareness of the exposition and tourism resources of Hong Kong and Zhuhai, and showcase the multi-destination travel model, with the ultimate objective of enlarging its MICE catchment area.
Another highlight of last week’s event was a private visit to the HZMB site. With the generous support of the HZMB Authority, AWE together with representatives from Hong Kong and Zhuhai businesses received a detailed introduction to the bridge’s remarkable structural design and engineering complexity. The tour included a visit to the toll station on the Zhuhai side and the Qingzhou Channel Bridge, which is a 163-metre-high bridge in the shape of a Chinese knot symbolising the close connection between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau.