BUSINESS-EVENT numbers at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for the 2023-2024 fiscal year reached more than 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels with regular trade shows having fully returned.
A total of 823 events were held at HKCEC over the 12 months from June 2023, a figure that includes 122 exhibitions, 81 international and local conferences, and hundreds of corporate meetings, banquets and entertainment events. The pandemic downturn in Hong Kong and ongoing restrictions saw a drop in business events that hit industry suppliers and saw organisers opting for other cities in Asia and the Middle East.
More than 7.3 million people attended events at the venue over the fiscal year, according to figures from Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (HML), the professional and private management company of the HKCEC.
The 122 exhibitions and 81 international and local conferences covered topics such as innovation and technology, fintech, Web3, sustainability, art, wines and spirits, holiday and travel, and medical science.
Of these, 14 new exhibitions and 20 new conferences were held successfully at the HKCEC for the first time. They included Greentech Summit 2024, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration Congress 2024, and the Asia Pacific Spine Society (APSS) Congress 2024.
“We are encouraged to see these results, and to note that the number of events which have returned to the HKCEC is now over 80 per cent of the number pre-Covid [FY2018/19], on a par with our expectations. Indeed, 100 per cent of recurrent trade exhibitions have now returned to our venue,” said Monica Lee-Müller, managing director of HML.
“I’m proud that the efficiency and professionalism of our operation workforce, combined with our strenuous business development efforts, have enabled us to secure several new exhibitions as well as retaining many long-established ones.
More… HK exhibitions bouncing back
“These results reflect that Hong Kong’s unique advantages for hosting international events remain, and reaffirm the HKCEC’s position as an ideal choice for exhibition and event organisers looking for a world-class venue, professional services and comprehensive solutions,” Lee-Müller said.
New exhibitions and international conferences confirmed for HKCEC in the fiscal year 2024-2025 include Consensus 2025, billed as the world’s largest and most influential gathering of the digital assets, blockchain and Web3 communities, next February.
The four-day International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2025 Annual Meeting next June is expected to bring around 4,500 medical experts to Hong Kong.
