ITE Hong Kong 2020 is the latest business event to fall victim to the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong.
TKS Exhibitions, the organiser of International Travel Expo and MICE Travel Expo, has decided to cancel the three-day show due to the recent spike in Covid infections recorded in Hong Kong and tighter rules on public gatherings being phased in by the city authorities.
The organisers had been counting on pent-up consumer travel demand across the Greater Bay Area to support a smaller show at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, August 7-9, which had earlier been postponed from June.
ITE Hong Kong 2021 is now scheduled for June 17-20 next year in Hall 1 of HKCEC.
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TKS said it had held talks with HKCEC over the past few days to re-arrange the event later in the year, but no suitable date or venue could be found.
“Hopefully, the longer time span between now and next June give more time for recovery and preparation,” said a TKS spokesman.
“Our research and surveys found strong pent-up and longer-term demand for post-outbreak travel, while trade and travellers needed timely information on safer and more hygienic travel products with flexibility,” TKS said, citing the reasons it wanted to hold the show this year.
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“These prompted TKS to try holding ITE this year despite the great difficulty and risk. TKS has also been striving to balance between safety and recovery, but safety always comes first.”
An online marketing platform between now and next June is being considered by TKS to facilitate buyers and suppliers to maintain contact.
“In early July, we were expecting well over 100 stands and, despite travel restrictions still in force, local exhibitors were outnumbered by those from outside [Hong Kong] and abroad, who had been engaging their local office or agents to help in manning booths just in case,” TKS said, adding that thousands of trade visitors had pre-registered online over the past few months.
ITE HK is supported by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Macao Government Tourism Office.
