Advancing on all fronts, ITE this year set new records on scale, number of exhibitors and visitors, resumed more B2B services, and add new trade events and special display on theme travel etc., thus continue “Forwarding to Full Recovery”. What’s more, exhibitors happy with results despite repeated rainstorm warning signals!
< The Opening Ceremony >
Again, Mr. John KC Lee, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR sent message [Read CE’s Message] welcoming participants of ITE Hong Kong 2024!
Officiated the opening ceremony at 11 am on June 13 was Ms. Joanne Chu, Acting Commissioner for Tourism, Tourism Commission · Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Hong Kong SAR Government, who gave a key note speech, cut the ribbon and conducted the VIP tour.
During the opening ceremony, 17 Consul Generals were invited to go onto the stage taking the ITE 2024 VIP Group Photo with our other honorable guests. Another VIP tour was held at noon time the same day for Mr. Raistlin LAU, JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sport and Tourism · Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Hong Kong SAR Government.
In all, the Opening Ceremony was attended by some 400 guests who included tourism officials, diplomatic corps, industry leaders, media, exhibitors, buyers, hosted delegates and trade visitors etc.
< New Records>
Canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19, live editions of ITE were held each year since 2021 with continuous growth in various fronts, and ITE 2024 sets new records with 18% more buyers and trade visitors, totally and regional only; 12% more public visitors; more exhibitors which totaled over 500; and used one more hall than last year etc!
ITE 2019 vs 2023 & 2024
Key Statistic | Exhibitors | Trade Visitors | Premium FIT | No. of Hall(s) |
ITE 2019 | 675 (88%) | 11613 (37%) | 73665 | 5 |
ITE 2023 | 499 (90%) | 5932 (25%) | 55925 | 4 |
ITE 2024 | 515 (87%) | 7023 (46%) | 63027 | 5 |
Notes: % in ( ) from abroad |
This year surpassing the pre-pandemic records were 20 more newly exhibiting countries and regions (ECR); a total of 18 popular KOL spoke in seminars, which more than tripled last year and among KOLs this year some with tenths and even hundreds of thousand fans; and over 80 travel seminars held in two public days etc.
< Resumed hosting non-Hong Kong buyers>
Resumed this year were the Business Matching which facilitate buyers make quick dating with sellers; Hosted Buyers in limited scale as ITE still follow the free-flow format; and hosting trade delegations from Guangdong cities in the Greater Bay Area (the Bay) with around 400 delegates, who additional to those coming individually.
< Regional Buyers & Trade Visitors >
In fact, the regionals this year account for a whopping 46.4% of all trade visitors, with 28.2% from mainland China particularly Guangdong cities in the Greater Bay Area and 18.2% from other parts of Asia. There were over 170 hosted and registered buyers. Among the hosted, 18 came from mainland China and 13 from other parts of Asia.
< Extensive Media Coverage >
ITE this year well attended media, and the result more extensive media coverage too, before and during the show period! For example, our pre-opening Press Conference held one week before opening was attended by a record of some 30 media around 40 reporters and journalists from TV and Radio stations, Dailies and Tabloids, and Social Media etc., resulting in extensive coverage.
< Highly International Exhibitors >
Exhibitors totaled 515, up 3.2%, overall 87% from outside and overseas. Of all the ECRs, 15 are from Europe, the Americas and the Oceania, and 9 from the Middle East and Africa; while among the twenty new ECRs over half from outside Asia. Thus, visitors can, as a prelude in ITE, “rediscovering the world”.
This year, (mainland) China had again the largest presence with some of her 17 exhibiting provinces and cities staging their own pavilion, while other popular East Asian destinations like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau were present with large scale pavilion.
< ITE highlights Theme Travel >
ITE been promoting in-depth and various theme travel. This year, themes of Sustainable Tourism, Ice & Snow Tourism, New Destinations and Night Markets etc. will be highlighted through, say, specific Info/Photo Corner.
In addition, there are the Winners Display of Travel Photography and Interschool Study Tour Itinerary Design Competition, seminars / booths by NGOs like VOLTRA and CHI HENG FOUNDATION etc.
< New Trade Events >
They include for examples the “Industry Forum on Technology Propelling Sustainability” with speakers from both corporations and academics; the seminar of “Major Changes for Travelers crossing EU borders by FRONTEX - the European Border and Coast Guard Agency” ; and “Networking with KOL” etc.
< Great Shopping & Fun in Public Days >
An absolute majority of ITE public visitors are premium FIT who with nearly half had university and another 20% plus post-secondary education, many speak English and can handle online shopping.
Great shopping of products and ideas, with hundreds of suppliers from various parts of the world, ranging say from alpine to island paradise and from aurora in arctic north to night markets, to choose from.
Great Fun in ITE! On stage and in booths are cultural performances including the very popular Lion Dance, mascot, games or lucky draws, souvenir, free travel maps and handy guidebook, and of course face to face interactions.
In addition, there are the plenty attractively designed pavilions, special displays and photo booth for great photo! Round the clock travel seminars many by popular KOLs.
In fact, the above well suited our premium FIT who survey found taking multiple outbound holidays and will be spending more on travel in coming year.
< Media reported Exhibitors Happy with Results >
The repeating hoisting of heavy rainstorm warning signals throughout show period particularly on Saturday which issued 3 signals in one day did slow down visitor growths! Has business been affected?
From a local Chinese business daily on June 17 reported on ITE that “majority of exhibitors found heavy rain did have some impacts but not serious”, and “some exhibitors pointed out strong pent up demand brought big business growth last year, some cooling off this year but results remaining ideal”. Further, it quoted a hotel chain from Japan which target in ITE both B2B and B2C that “the results at present deemed exceeding our expectation”.
< ITE Hong Kong 2025 >
ITE2024 again is strongly supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China with Hong Kong Tourism Board, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and Macao Government Tourism Office etc. as supporters.
The next ITE Hong Kong will be held June 12 to 15, 2025 at Halls 1A to 1E of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. For speeding up full recovery, standard booth rental of ITE2025 will again be kept at US$500 per SQM up, which same as rental in 2019 and no change for six years in a row.
Kommentare