Hong Kong’s profile among business event buyers in Asia Pacific is taking another step up with the Connect Marketplace show reporting a rise in attendees and exhibitors since its debut last year.
The second edition, held at AsiaWorld‑Expo March 18-19, welcomed more than 4,500 industry professionals along with 150 exhibitors and brands from across 28 countries and regions, according to show organisers Informa Markets Asia.
This compares with some 4,000 attendees reported at the show’s debut in 2025 in addition to more than 60 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions.
The event saw a debut pavilion from Azerbaijan and expanded showfloor presence from Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Shenzhen but the absence of a Macao Government Tourism Office stand.
“This year’s event was nothing short of extraordinary, bringing together a vibrant community of MICE professionals, innovators, and thought leaders to shape the future of our industry,” Connect Marketplace Hong Kong said in a statement.
The show’s Hosted Buyer Programme is also reported to have scaled in size. The 2025 edition hosted around 450 international decision‑makers with soe 1,300 one‑on‑one meetings while organisers expect 3,000-plus business matchmaking sessions for this year.
More… Debut MICE show grows roots in HK
Connect Marketplace Hong Kong owes its introduction to a pivotal market reshuffle. In late 2024, RX – the organiser of the IBTM series – cancelled its planned debut of IBTM Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, which had been scheduled for AsiaWorld‑Expo the following March. The withdrawal followed earlier postponements first in Singapore and later in Hong Kong.
Shortly after RX pulled out, Informa Markets announced that it would launch Connect Marketplace Hong Kong in March 2025, effectively filling the gap left in the regional business-events show calendar.
RX this week announced another attempt to debut IBTM Asia Pacific with a show in Bangkok in June 2027.
Main picture… Buyer-supplier meetings during Connect Marketplace Hong Kong 2026 at AsiaWorld-Expo
