The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) welcomes the measures of the HKSAR Government to support the convention and exhibition (“C&E”) industry announced in the latest Policy Address, in response to strengthen and capitalise on Hong Kong’s status as the Trade Fair Capital of Asia.

Mr Stuart Bailey, HKECIA Chairman, commented, “The HKECIA welcomes Government’s support to convention and exhibition industry, helping ease financial burdens on the organisers who can therefore get ready for the industry revival.  An additional HK$1.4 billion scheme and the commitment to the development plans are a strong recognition of the significance of the exhibition industry to Hong Kong’s economy and government’s declaration of intention to reestablish Hong Kong as an exhibition hub of Asia, supporting numerous crucial industries and boosting commerce.

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) welcomes the decision of the HKSAR Government to reduce hotel quarantine for inbound travellers from seven to three days, followed by four days under medical surveillance at home.  Reducing the number of days for hotel quarantine will help ease the burden on Hong Kong residents returning to the city and incoming international travellers. 

However, inbound visitors are not allowed to attend any exhibitions held in event premises, e.g. trade fairs, exhibitions, conferences, etc, during the four days of medical surveillance.  The new arrangement and the reduction of number of days for hotel quarantine thus will make no difference for the exhibition industry.

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (“HKECIA”) successfully held the annual conference on 1 June to update members of the latest industry information and trends.

The physical conference was hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and was attended by over 130 members and non-members.  Aiming to update members and industry players of the latest industry trends and government’s plan to support tourism recovery, the conference opened with speeches from Mr Edward Yau, GBS, JP, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and Mr Stuart Bailey, the newly re-elected Chairman of HKECIA, followed by a presentation by Mr Dane Cheng, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to share the up-to-date global tourism market outlook, HKTB’s overall strategy for the convention and exhibition industry, and plans for tourism recovery.

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (“HKECIA”) welcomes the latest HKSAR Government’s Policy Address recognizing that the convention and exhibition industry is crucial to Hong Kong as an international trade centre, and announcing the further extension of the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme (“Scheme”) for six months to December 31, 2022, in response to demand from the convention and exhibition industry.

Part of the Scheme's funding will also be allocated to provide a one-off immediate relief measure to private organisers of exhibitions with a clear track record of being held in Hong Kong to help them cope with the impact of the prolonged postponement or cancellation of exhibitions under the pandemic. 

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (“HKECIA” and “the Association”) presented the results of the latest member survey “Impact of Covid-19 to Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry 2021” (“Survey”) to Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (“CEDB”), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and urged the authority to repurpose the fund of the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme (“Subsidy Scheme”) and to provide a roadmap of relaxing compulsory quarantine requirements for qualified business travellers; otherwise, 45% of industry players may close down in 12 months.  It is an urgent call for the government’s immediate financial assistance from the local convention and exhibition industry players struggling to survive over the COVID-19 storm. 

The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA,) welcomes the appointment of Mr Michael Duck as Incoming President (2022-2023) of UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.

(Hong Kong, 14 December 2020) The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) is the authoritative organisation of the Hong Kong exhibition and convention industries since 1990.

The HKECIA welcomes the latest HKSAR Government’s Policy Address recognising the importance of further supporting Hong Kong’s convention and exhibition industry by expanding the capacity of event space in the city. The Association supports its reconfirmation of the plan to redevelop the sites of the three government towers in Wan Chai North and the Kong Wan Fire Station (opposite to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) into convention and exhibition facilities, hotel and Grade A office, and the Airport Authority’s plan to invest in the construction of phase two of the AsiaWorld-Expo. The plans were first introduced in 2017 Policy Address. These two projects in total will increase convention and exhibition space by more than 40%.