ORGANISERS of a new business events show in Hong Kong are preparing to welcome more than 5,000 international buyers to AsiaWorld-Expo next week.
The event “ushers in a new era for the MICE industry in Asia”, according to Informa Markets Asia, which is organising Connect Marketplace Hong Kong, March 19-21.
The debut is a Hong Kong edition of Informa’s successful Connect Marketplace series of shows for business event professionals in North America. Informa has also been at the forefront of several new shows in Hong Kong including Super Terminal Expo aimed at highlighting the Greater Bay Area’s connectivity into mainland and across Asia for aviation and logistics.
Backgrounder… Informa bringing Connect Marketplace to HK
Organisers say business travel and event buyers will come to Hong Kong from 30-plus countries and regions, including Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. They will participate in 1,500 one-on-one meetings in a program based on the US show’s hosted-buyer model.
“All participants will enjoy a bespoke experience, with highly targeted and impactful business meetings that are designed to yield tangible, long-term relationships,” an Informa Markets Asia spokesperson said.
Conference and keynotes are scheduled for the mornings during the three-day event while an “unrivalled exhibitor line-up” will span airlines, hotels, resorts, tourism boards, MICE associations and technology innovators.
The city’s world-class MICE infrastructure, including state-of-the-art venues and advanced transportation systems, further solidifies its status as a leading destination for global business events. Hosting Connect Marketplace in Hong Kong capitalises on the city’s unique advantages, offering an ideal platform for international professionals to connect and collaborate across borders.
Hosting Connect Marketplace in Hong Kong capitalizes on the city’s unique advantages, offering an ideal platform for international professionals to connect and collaborate across borders.”
– Connect Marketplace Hong Kong
Among the exhibitors signed up for the event are Club Med, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Regal Hotels International, Info Salons Technology Services (HK), and Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Informa stepped in to organise Connect Marketplace Hong Kong after competitors RX cancelled plans for a debut of IBTM Asia Pacific. RX said the requirements of outbound Chinese buyers were already met by the annual IBTM World in Barcelona.
Hong Kong Tourism Board, AsiaWorld-Expo and business travel association the Corporate Travel Community are among the industry associations and institutions backing the debut of Connect Marketplace, Hong Kong.
More… Informa, AWE launch Super Terminal Expo
Also attending are representatives from the Korea MICE Association, Singapore business event association SACEOS, Meetings and Events Australia, and more than ten other organisations that “recognise the significant potential of this event in shaping the future of the MICE industry across Asia”.
“With extensive support from industry members, anticipation for this ground-breaking event is building, promising to drive significant growth, innovation and collaboration to Asia’s MICE industry,” Informa Markets Asia said in a statement.
Connect Marketplace Hong Kong’s conference will feature more than 30 speakers from academia, industry associations, media, business, and environmental sectors. They include…
– Prof. Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University;
– Waikin Wong, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA);
– Richard Ireland, President, SACEOS;
– Poman Lo, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Regal Hotels International
– Cathy Ching, SVP, Sustainability, Lifestyle, and Creative Cluster, Invest Hong Kong
– Janene Wardrop MEM, Program Manager, Events, International College of Management, Sydney;
– Andy Winchester, APAC Travel Manager, Bloomberg;
– Andrew Lau, Director of ESG Advisory, Colliers.
The show is open to trade professionals and media. For more information, visit Connect Marketplace Hong Kong
