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Tag: fair

  • Cebu Pacific to cancel South Korea flights from March 3 to April 30

    Cebu Pacific to cancel South Korea flights from March 3 to April 30

    In line with the government’s travel ban on South Korea, Cebu Pacific will cancel its flights to the East Asian country from March 3 to April 30.

    Cebu Pacific announced Friday that the following flights will be canceled:

    5J 188/ 5J 187 Manila-Incheon-Manila

    5J 128 / 5J 129 Cebu-Incheon-Cebu

    5J 180 / 5J 181 Kalibo-Incheon-Kalibo

    The airline has advised affected passengers to rebook flights to February 29, March 1, or March 2 depending on seat availability, rebook a new flight until June 30, or refund the tickets in full. Passengers can also store the ticket value in a travel fund for future use.

    The Bureau of Immigration has implemented the ban on passengers with a recent history of travel from the coronavirus-hit province of North Gyeongsang in South Korea. The infection began in Its capital Daegu City. This was based on the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

    Meanwhile, exempted from the travel ban to Korea are overseas Filipino workers, permanent residents in Korea, and students.

    South Korea has confirmed 571 additional cases of the novel coronavirus Friday, according to the South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    This brings the national total to 2,337 cases, with 13 deaths. South Korea has recorded the largest virus outbreak outside mainland China.

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  • Why top watch marques no longer need Baselworld, SIHH?

    Why top watch marques no longer need Baselworld, SIHH?

    Dr Bernard Cheong has what he calls a “migration box” – a travel case that holds up to eight timepieces. “I like to say that these are the watches I will take with me if I have to relocate,” says the jovial 61-year-old, one of the world’s most prolific watch collectors. One of his most prized pieces is a S$3.3 million (US$2.4 million) Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1, numbered 00 in an 11-piece series. Its serial number indicates that it is the watchmaker’s personal prototype. It would not even have been sold, if not for Cheong’s clout. He believes the watch can eventually command up to S$5 million.

    In 2011, he made history when he became the first ambassador for the Geneva-based Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie who was not from the watch industry. He helped formulate the transparent jury system, and an audited and numbered voting system, for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2002, a high-end watchmaking contest, before introducing it to Asia.

    His expertise is drawn from decades of experience of watch buying and selling and forging close relationships with watchmakers and retailers. This has also put him in the unique position of being an industry observer with unfiltered, and sometimes contrary, insights.

    For instance, he does not mince words when talking about the recent issues surrounding the industry’s key watch fairs, Baselworld and SIHH. The two fairs recently announced they would be synchronizing their calendars to run back to back, following a fall in the number of Baselworld exhibitors.

    “It is a reality of the industry. The exhibitors do not need to be there any more – why pay so much to exhibit like this?” he says. Cheong notes that watchmakers today can easily bypass industry fairs by offering information about their latest creations directly to consumers via the internet.

    Protecting his beloved industry is something Cheong takes seriously. In China, the recent crackdown on conspicuous consumption has led to a drop in sales and to brands like Richemont buying back unsold stock. “It is smart for the companies to buy back their precious pieces. When times are hard, people will sell watches at any price to put food on the table,” he says. This could lead to a massive undercutting in prices, he adds.

    “They did the right thing to retain control of prices.”

  • 40 travel agents join Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair 2018

    40 travel agents join Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair 2018

    More than 40 travel agencies, including five pilgrimage agencies, are joining the second phase of the Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (GATF) 2018. The event, held by the flag carrier in partnership with Bank Mandiri, is held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, South Jakarta, from Friday to Sunday. Various travel packages are offered by the agencies, including for the umrah as well as for cruise and winter vacations. Garuda Indonesia promises competitive prices for international as well as domestic routes. The South Korean capital city of Seoul, for instance, can be visited with round trip fares starting at Rp 2.7 million (US$177), while a return ticket to Raja Ampat in West Papua can be bought for Rp 2.1 million.

    Other programs available throughout the biannual event are Happy Hour, which offers up to 80 percent discounts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Best Deal with up to 50 percent discounts, an additional 1,000 miles for GarudaMiles customers and 30 percent discounts on prepaid baggage.

    Pikri Ilham Kurniansyah, Garuda Indonesia’s commercial director, speaks at the opening ceremony of the second phase of the Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (GATF) 2018 at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Friday.

    Having joined the GATF in 2017, Bank Mandiri also presents numerous special offers, including a 50 percent discount with fiestapoin, zero percent installments for up to 12 months using their credit card and up to Rp 2 million cashback using their credit or debit cards.

    One of the visitors, Citra, 27, from Bekasi, West Java, praised the variety of travel agencies there. “It’s worth it [coming to the travel fair], especially if you’re on a budget,” said Citra, who plans to fly to Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara. “The place is also comfortable.”

    The GATF has been held in 30 cities since last September. It targets total transactions of Rp 448 billion, including Rp 218 billion in Jakarta.

    Collaborating with the Tourism Ministry, Garuda Indonesia has also conducted the Wonderful Indonesia – Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (WI-GATF) abroad to lure foreign travelers to Indonesia.

    Pikri Ilham Kurniansyah, the airline’s commercial director, said its WI-GATF event in Shanghai, which ended in early September, had generated 8.5 million yuan ($1.3 million) in sales, and the airline was focusing on the WI-GATF this year by adding Singapore and Australia as forthcoming venues.

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  • Hong Kong Book Fair Opens Next Month with About 670 International Exhibitors

    Hong Kong Book Fair Opens Next Month with About 670 International Exhibitors

    About 670 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions will present books on a wide range of topics and in various languages at the 28th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, which will be held 19-25 July at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). More than 310 cultural events catering to different interests and age groups will take place during the week-long event to raise public cultural awareness and interest in reading.

    “The Hong Kong Book Fair Cultural Events Advisory Panel chose the theme of Travel for this year’s Book Fair,” said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau, as he explained how the event would move forward from last year’s focus on Chinese martial arts literature. “We hope that readers can learn about the world through reading the works of Hong Kong travel writers, even though they themselves may not have the opportunity to travel around the globe,” Mr Chau said, adding that the HTKDC will be “bringing in publishers and cultural promotion institutions from around the world as well as organising a series of cultural events to feature the cultures of different countries, under the theme ‘Reading the World – People, Places, Passions’.”

    Travel Writing in Focus

    In keeping with the travel theme, this year’s Book Fair Art Gallery, to be located outside the 3/F convention hall, will showcase a thematic exhibition “Around the World Through Words”. The exhibition will feature a number of Hong Kong travel writers with varied backgrounds covering litterateurs, cruise expert, explorer, historians, war correspondent, novelist as well as writer and photographer, of which Leung Ping Kwan (Ye Si), Xi Xi, Rebecca Lee and Zhou Yijun are included. The gallery will feature their works together with photos taken and souvenirs gathered during their journeys, to build understanding about their travel works and generate interest in reading.

    The Art Gallery will also host an exhibition called Beyond the Picture to showcase photographs, paintings and various printed matter telling stories about different places in the world over the ages. It includes a section organised with National Geographic magazine to feature award-winning photographs that capture the culture, landscape and architecture of Hong Kong and other locations around the world. The series will also showcase “old Hong Kong” through the paintings of famous local artist Lee Chi-ching as well as photographs, postcards and other printed matter.

    Rounding out the Art Gallery will be “A Journey to Sichuan”, introducing the Chinese province often referred to as “Nature’s Storehouse”. Visitors will be able to take in photographs of the scenery in Sichuan, as well as manuscripts by famous writers from the area, a series of prized exhibits from Sanxingdui Museum, and performances of Sichuan opera face-changing, tea arts and folk music.

    Renowned Writers Gather from Around the World

    This Book Fair features eight seminar series to invite an international line-up of writers in various genres to share their viewpoints and writing tips. The HKTDC continues to collaborate with Ming Pao and Yazhou Zhoukan to co-organise the Renowned Writers Seminar Series. Speakers in the series will include the Chinese mainland writers Ye Xin, Hang Shaogong, Fang Fang, Zhou Meisen, Liu Xiaoqing, Wang Chaoge, Xu Zhiyuan, Lu Nei, Zhou Bing, Xiao Han and Hao Jingfang. Also taking part are writers from Taiwan, including Chu Tien-hsin, Tang Nuo, Liu Ka-shiang and Yang Ze, and from Hong Kong, Leung Man-tao and Craig Au-Yeung Ying Chai.

    The Book Fair also encourages the public to read books in other languages to broaden their horizons. The English Reading and Creative Writing Seminar Series, supported by the British Council, will feature three renowned UK authors, including crime fiction writer Sophie Hannah and travel writers Sara Wheeler and Tim Moore.

    The World of Knowledge Seminar Series, supported by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macau, will feature three French writers including illustrator Cedric Fernandez, film critic Arnaud Lanuque who studies Hong Kong films and Afro-French novelist Alain Mabanckou. The Consulate General of Spain in Hong Kong is also contributing to the international line-up, by arranging for Peter Gordon and Juan Jose Morales to introduce their new book on the China-Mexico route Ruta Via de la Plata which dates back to the 16th to 19th centuries.

    Well-known Chinese mainland entrepreneur Wang Qiang, who created his own Think in American English programme, will also attend the fair to share his reading experience, as will renowned local authors, including prominent designer Kan Tai-keung, President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Prof Tony F Chan, as well as the pilot Hank Cheng and engineer Gary Tat who together assembled a light aircraft in Hong Kong and completed a journey around the world.

    Other seminar series include the Theme of the Year Seminar Series, where a number of travel writers, academics and travel experts will share their views on travelling and writing as well as travel writing styles, the Children and Youth Reading Series, which covers child growth and education, parent-child reading and children literature, and the Personal Development and Spiritual Growth Seminar Series, in which travel expert James Hong, Hong Kong swimmer Stephanie Au and the physiotherapist Elton Ng who conquered Mount Everest will share tales of inspiration.

    Also on the schedule are the Lifestyle Seminar Series, where local artists Steve Lee and Gigi Wong will share cooking tips, as well as sessions by Yim Ho to share healthcare tips, by field photography group Wandering Photography to share the joy of photography, and the Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series, where Dr Ting Sun Pao, Dr Clarence Yau and Louis Koo who is the leading actor of A Step into the Past, television series adapted from popular novel of same name, will discuss the works of the late martial arts novelist Huang Yi. Hong Kong artist Rebecca Pan will bring the audience to the cinematic stage through her own experience, and the renowned Cantonese Opera actor Franco Yuen will talk about Cantonese Opera education in Hong Kong. For more details and registration of the seminars, please visit the Hong Kong Book Fair website.

    Wang Qiang, Founder of the Think in American English Programme, Production Director of Lonely Planet and other industry experts from around the world will also participate in the International Publishing Forum to explore developments in this sector during a session targeting publishing industry players.

    Reading about the World

    The International Cultural Village at the Book Fair features 26 countries and regions. France, Germany, Italy and Poland are among the countries setting up the European Union Pavilion to exhibit books as well as organise a number of cultural events to increase public understanding of their local cultures. Japan will return to the fair with a group pavilion which represents 11 cities and prefectures including Niigata, Wakayama and newcomers Fukuoka and Tottori. The pavilion exhibitors will join forces with the Japan National Tourism Organization and the Japan Kadokawa Group to showcase aspects of Japanese culture.

    Besides the seven-day Book Fair, the HKTDC will organise “Cultural July” citywide campaign which will include more than 310 cultural events to promote reading. Taking place from the end of June until the end of July, it will involve cultural institutions, libraries, museums, educational institutions, shopping malls and cafes, in a combined effort to encourage greater public participation in diverse cultural events.

    Concurrent Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo

    Tickets to the Book Fair are now available for public purchase, and visitors can also purchase tickets on-site at the fairground ticket office. The Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo will be held concurrently from 21-25 July at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Sports and Leisure Expo features over 90 exhibitors to showcase sports-related products and equipment, as well as photography and art products and special interest classes. The fair will feature free trials of activities such as indoor rock-climbing and street workout workshops. Visitors can visit the Sports and Leisure Expo with a valid Book Fair ticket.

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  • Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair 2017 Records IDR457 Tln in Transactions

    Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair 2017 Records IDR457 Tln in Transactions

    The first phase of Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (GATF) 2017 which is held on March 10-12, 2017 in 24 cities generates positive results by achieving a total transaction amounting to IDR457 billion, surpassing the target set at IDR380 billion. The largest revenue contributors come from the city of Jakarta, Lombok and Denpasar.

    VP Corporate Communications of Garuda Indonesia Tbk (GIAA), Benny S Butarbutar, in remarks, Monday (3/13/2017), said successful implementation of the GATF 2017 phase-1 shows public enthusiasm in traveling needs at an affordable price is still very high.

    “In addition, successful implementation of the ninth GATF is certainly not without the support and hard work of all fellow employees of Garuda Indonesia Group. We wished that the implementation of the next 2017 GATF will be more successful,” he added.

    The cities which become favorite destinations for visitors are Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul for international routes; for domestic destination are Bali, Jogjakarta, Surabaya and Lombok.

    Implementation of GATF in Jakarta this time also showed an increase, reaching 74 thousand visitors, compared to the same period last year of 60 thousand visitors.

    Sporting the theme ‘Digital Experience’, Garuda Indonesia in 2017 GATF Phase 1 introduced LINE ID ‘Official Garuda Indonesia’, which is the only LINE ID for Indonesian airlines at this time.

    “By adding official account of Garuda Indonesia in LINE, users of Garuda Indonesia’s services can enjoy various promotional programs from Garuda Indonesia throughout the year,” he said.

  • International Tourism fair to take place in Hà Nội

    International Tourism fair to take place in Hà Nội

    The Việt Nam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2017 will take place from April 6-9 at the International Exhibition Centre in Hà Nội, the Việt Nam Tourism Association announced on Monday.

    Themed “Hà Nội– Vietnamese tourism’s destination,” VITM 2017 is expected to feature 600 enterprises, tourism management and promotion agencies from 43 provinces and cities and 25 countries and territories.

    The fair hopes to attract about 60,000 visitors.

    Last year, Việt Nam welcomed more than 10 million international arrivals, up 26 per cent year-on-year, according to the Việt Nam Aministration of Tourism.

  • Raja Ampat to organize various festivals to lure tourists

    Raja Ampat to organize various festivals to lure tourists

    The district administration of Raja Ampat in West Papua Province will organize various festivals to lure tourists to the island.

    The planned festivals will be part of the tourism campaign for the region, according to the Head of Raja Ampat tourism office, Yusdi Lamatenggo, on Saturday (Jan. 21).

    This years list of festivals include a maritime festival, a flute and drum festival, the Wonderful Misol festival, the Wonderful Salawati festival, the Wonderful Waigeo festival, a fish cooking festival and a Red and White festival.

    There will also be a spiritual festival, a blue sea festival, the Raja Ampat Fair and the Raja Ampat childrens reading festival.

    The events are also intended to preserve and promote the regions local culture and arts, he added.

    In an effort to improve transportion access to Raja Ampat, the government has also launched several key infrastructure projects on the islands.

    Regular transportation will be made available from the regional capital of Waisai to other islands, including Misol Island.

    “Foreign and local tourists will now be able to visit the islands without having to hire expensive speedboats,” explained Lamatenggo.

    The Wing Air Lion Group will also operate direct return flights from Jakarta to Manado and Waisai to improve the access to West Papua from outside the region, he said.

    “At the moment, tourists wishing to visit Raja Ampat have to take a long flight from Jakarta to Sorong,” he added.

    The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat, fondly called the Living Eden or Paradise on Earth, was a lesser-known tourist destination and was familiar only to intrepid travelers and avid divers.

    Considered to be a crown jewel in Indonesia, Raja Ampat has crystal clear turquoise waters and islands covered by dense green forests and mangrove swamps.

    Located in an area called the “Coral Triangle” between the Pacific and Indian oceans in eastern Indonesias West Papua province, the world is now taking notice of Raja Ampat after the Indonesian government intensified its tourism campaign to promote the region.

  • NEC holds Innovative Solutions Fair in Singapore

    NEC holds Innovative Solutions Fair in Singapore

    This year’s theme, ‘Co-creating Cities of Tomorrow’, seeks to showcase NEC’s most innovative and proven suite of “Solutions for Society” and cutting-edge technologies that are being used to transform cities and businesses in the areas of safety, security, efficiency and allowing people to live brighter lives.

    Featuring more than 25 interactive exhibits showcasing NEC’s breakthrough innovative urban and business transformation solutions, the one-day event will feature a keynote speech by Mr. Kiren Kumar, who oversees the Infocomm and Media industry development efforts at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), as well as insights from thought leaders into the latest industry research, and how ICT solutions can help enhance safety and business transformation for cities and society.

    Other highlights include safer and smart cities technologies based on NEC’s portfolio of artificial intelligence technologies, NEC the WISE, such as NEC’s world’s No.1 face recognition and fingerprint technology, cyber security, smart energy, healthcare, transport; business transformation solutions such as enterprise cloud, IoT, smart workplace and collaboration, Software-Defined Networking technology, mixed reality for enterprises and much more.

    Mr. Kiren Kumar, Assistant Managing Director, EDB, said, “NEC is a longstanding partner of Singapore and has worked closely with the government on multiple fronts to test and scale their latest smart city technologies. We are therefore heartened to see that NEC is leveraging Singapore as a platform to showcase their latest technologies and facilitate partnerships between companies and innovators to address opportunities created by digitalisation. This bodes well for Singapore’s efforts to become the Digital Capital of Asia.”

    “NEC Asia Pacific is pleased to hold the NEC Innovative Solutions Fair for the second time in Singapore. Leveraging NEC’s ‘Solutions for Society’ suite of cutting-edge technologies and solutions, we believe in forging strong partnerships with governments and enterprises to co-create impactful, innovative solutions that solve societal challenges and enhance lives. As a result, NEC aims to create a safer, brighter and more sustainable future for society and its communities,” said Lim Kok Quee, Managing Director and Deputy CEO (ASEAN Sub-Region) of NEC Asia Pacific.

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  • Asia’s Largest Toys & Games Fair Opens

    Asia’s Largest Toys & Games Fair Opens

    The HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The four-day fairs will continue through 12 January and gather a total of more than 2,900 exhibitors from all over the world to showcase a wide range of innovative and smart products to global buyers.

    The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has organised close to 120 buying missions from 65 countries and regions, with some 9,000 buyers from around the world to visit and source at the three fairs. These include department stores, specialty stores and retail chains such as Toys”R”Us, Hamleys from the United Kingdom, Tomy Company Ltd. and Aeon Stores from Japan as well as Shinsegae Co. Ltd. from Korea. Besides, buyers representing e-tailers like JD.com, Suning Redbaby and beibei.com from the Chinese mainland and local enterprises including Watsons and Ocean Park offer ample business opportunities for the exhibitors. To facilitate different sourcing requirements, the fairs continue to feature the hktdc.com Small Orders zone with its Online Transaction Platform (https://smallorders.hktdc.com) and offer on-site business matching services.

    Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC, said: “The three fairs are presenting a comprehensive line-up of innovative products, including STEM toys that strengthen the learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for youngsters. Together with various licensed products, toys that incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, smart baby products as well as stationery items, the fairs will surely satisfy the sourcing needs of global buyers.”

    Asia’s largest toys & games fair features a record of 2,100+ exhibitors

    The 43rd edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair features a record of more than 2,100 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, forming the largest event of its kind in Asia, and the second-largest in the world. Among the many exhibitors are newcomers from Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Denmark.

    Six group pavilions from the Chinese mainland, Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, together with the “World of Toys” pavilion featuring mainly European exhibitors, are mounted at the fair this year to present a wide variety of toys and games from around the world. Among them, the UK pavilion has doubled its exhibition space with 17 exhibitors, offering buyers more selections. The signature Brand Name Gallery gathers over 220 renowned brands from 15 countries and regions, such as 4M, Bburago, Eastcolight, Hape, VTech, as well as new exhibitors including the Japanese building block brand nanoblock.

    The Smart-Tech Toys zone showcases various toys and games applying innovative technologies, such as the increasingly popular AR and VR technologies and products operated via mobile apps. As the demand for STEM toys grows, a new STEM Toys Products Display is set up at the fair to help visitors check out the latest educational toys. Two new zones, Pet Toys and Fireworks, also debut at the fair. Pet Toys zone showcases toys and daily supplies for pets, while the Fireworks zone introduces display shells, firecrackers, toy fireworks as well as stage fireworks suitable for use in different events.

    Concurrent Baby Products Fair to maximise synergies

    Now in its eighth edition, the HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair hosts a record of about 540 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions, with first-time exhibitors from Qatar and Turkey. This year, the Korea pavilion gathers 32 exhibitors, an increase of more than 80 per cent compared with the last edition. Brand Name Gallery features close to 50 renowned brands from 14 countries and regions, including Biba, Evenflo, Joovy and Pali. Another fair highlight, Baby Tech zone, gathers 22 exhibitors of trendy products including those that incorporate high tech and smart home elements. Other special zones include Disposable Baby Products, Baby Learning Toys, Baby Food and Healthcare Products, Baby Bedding Items and Furniture, Baby Fashion Avenue, Baby Gift Sets and Souvenirs, Feeding, Nursing and Maternity Products, Nursery Electrical Appliances as well as Strollers and Gear.

    Diversified events to unveil industry trends

    A series of industry events are organised during the fair period. This year’s Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference (10 January) adopts the theme of “Grasp the Chance: What’s New in the Market and Our Industry?” to explore trends and opportunities in the global market and especially the Chinese mainland market. Seminars featuring industry experts include “STEM Toys – Next Big Wave” (9 January), “A Closer Look into the Key Influencers in Baby Product Trends” (9 January) and “The New Epoch of Virtual Toys” (10 January) to help the industry keep abreast of the latest trends.

    To provide more promotional channels and facilitate industry cooperation, a number of product demonstrations and launch pads, as well as buyer forums are organised. The Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards 2017 Presentation Ceremony takes place this evening, followed by tomorrow’s winning products presentation. The Awards honour outstanding toys and baby products with exquisite designs, creativity and high quality, as well as promote the industry’s distinguished achievements. The winning products are on display at Hall 3F-G concourse during the fair period, promoting innovative designs to global buyers.

    International Stationery Fair brings in innovative items

    The 17th Hong Kong International Stationery Fair, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd., features five themed zones, including DIY Supplies, Gift Stationery, Kids & School, Pen & Paper and Smart Office. Over 250 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions are showcasing art supplies, kids’ stationery, school stationery supplies, paper products and printing, office supplies, DIY supplies, promotional stationery and more.

    The challenges and business opportunities of the stationery industry under the digital age are spotlighted at today’s seminar “Unfold Opportunities for Retail Digital Age” with representatives from DimBuy and Pinkoi sharing their insights. Another key seminar tomorrow, “A Glimpse into the Forthcoming Design Trend”, will analyse stationery design and market trends. Heavyweight speakers include the “Stationery King”, Masayuki Takabatake, the three-year winner of the Japanese variety show “TV Champion”; an expert from one of Japan’s biggest stationery brands KOKUYO; and a moderator from city’super.

    Joint Opening Ceremony with Licensing Show

    The HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (9-11 January) is taking place alongside the Toys & Games Fair, Baby Products Fair and International Stationery Fair, generating more cross-sector business opportunities. A joint opening ceremony for the Toys & Games Fair, Baby Products Fair and International Licensing Show was held this morning, officiated by the Honourable Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR Government; Li Jiangang, Deputy Director General, Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China; Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC; Lawrence Chan, Chairman, HKTDC Toys Advisory Committee, and Tommy Li, Chairman, HKTDC Design, Marketing and Licensing Services Advisory Committee.

  • Asia’s Largest Toys Fair to Open Next Week

    Asia’s Largest Toys Fair to Open Next Week

    The 43rd HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the eighth HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 17th Hong Kong International Stationery Fair are set to open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) next week. Starting on 9 January and continuing through 12 January, the three fairs will feature more than 2,900 global exhibitors showcasing a dynamic range of innovative and high tech products.

    Hong Kong’s major export products, including toys, are still being affected by the lacklustre global economy. Speaking at today’s press conference, Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC, said that Hong Kong’s exports of toy products reached HK$33.8 billion in the first 11 months of 2016. He also noted that the toy industry is the only sector reporting a higher reading in the HKTDC Export Index for the fourth quarter of 2016, indicating growing confidence about the performance of toy exports in 2017. On the other hand, the Christmas sales performance recorded increases in major traditional markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as emerging markets including the Chinese mainland, Mexico, Chile, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Mr Chau added that under the mainland’s “Two-child Policy”, new opportunities are expected to emerge in the coming years for the toy and baby product markets on the mainland since the number of births is likely to rise considerably.

    “STEM toys – that strengthen the learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – as well as licensed products and toys applying virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are becoming more and more popular,” Mr Chau said. “Hong Kong companies can look into and explore these products.” He highlighted that the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair gathers a wide range of products from around the globe. The hktdc.com Small Orders zone in the fair, along with the HKDC Small Orders Online Transaction Platform and business matching service offered by the HKTDC, will facilitate product sourcing and building business connections.

    Asia’s largest toys fair draws record exhibitors

    The HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair will gather a record of more than 2,100 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, with first-time participants from Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Denmark. The event is the largest of its kind in Asia and second-largest in the world.

    Five group pavilions will be featured in the fair this year, including the Chinese mainland, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UK, along with a “World of Toys” pavilion showcasing mainly European exhibitors and a global range of toy and game products. This year, the UK pavilion has doubled its exhibition space with 17 exhibitors, offering buyers more selections. The signature Brand Name Gallery will return with more than 220 renowned brands from 15 countries and regions. Among them will be 4M, Bburago, Eastcolight, Hape, VTech, as well as new exhibitors including Japanese building block brand nanoblock and Portuguese brand ELOU for educational toys made with cork.

    The acclaimed Smart-Tech Toys zone will feature a range of toys with innovative technology capabilities. Some of the exhibits have incorporated the increasingly popular AR and VR technologies in their designs, along with mobile apps to make products more interesting and interactive for users. To meet the growing demand for STEM toys in the market, a new STEM Toys Product Display area will be launched at the fair.

    Two new thematic zones, Pet Toys and Fireworks, will also be introduced this year. The Pet Toys zone will feature toys and daily supplies tailor-made for pets. The Fireworks zone will introduce festival fireworks, display shells, firecrackers as well as indoor and stage fireworks suitable for use in different events to industry buyers.

    One-stop sourcing at concurrent Baby Products and International Stationery fairs

    The HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair will be held alongside the Toys & Games Fair, featuring a record of close to 540 companies from 27 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from Qatar and Turkey. This year, the Korea pavilion will gather 32 exhibitors, an increase of more than 80 per cent compared with the last edition. Brand Name Gallery will feature close to 50 renowned quality brands from 14 countries and regions, while the Baby Tech zone, another highlight of the fair, will bring in 22 exhibitors to help visitors keep abreast of the high-tech product and smart living trends.

    The Hong Kong International Stationery Fair, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, will feature over 250 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions, including new exhibitors from Bangladesh, Finland, India, the Netherlands and Spain. Exhibitors will showcase the latest art and craft supplies, back-to-school items, paper packaging and printing goods, office supplies and gift stationery.

    During the fair period, a series of industry events will be organised. The influential “Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference 2017” will be held on 10 January under the theme of “Grasp the Chance: What’s New in the Market and Our Industry?”. Experts will explore the trends and opportunities in the global market, especially those related to the Chinese mainland. Other seminars include “STEM Toys – Next Big Wave”, “The New Epoch of Virtual Toys”, and “A Closer Look into the Key Influencers in Baby Product Trends”. Masayuki Takabatake, the renowned “Stationery King” from Japan and a representative from one of Japan’s biggest stationery brands KOKUYO, will deliver a seminar on “A Glimpse into the Forthcoming Design Trend”.

    A number of product demonstrations and launch pads as well as buyer forums that explore opportunities in emerging markets and seminars analysing retail opportunities in the digital age will be organised during the fair. These events will enable industry players to exchange market information and keep abreast of the latest design and product trends.

    Another highlight will be the “Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards 2017 Presentation Ceremony” to be held on the first day of the fair (9 January), with a winning products presentation taking place the following day. The award aims to uncover toy and baby products with unique designs, creativity and high quality, as well as to celebrate outstanding achievements in the industry. During the fair period, the winning products will be displayed at the Hall 3F-G Concourse.

    Held concurrently with the Toys & Games Fair, the Baby Products Fair and the Stationery Fair is the HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show, which is the largest of its kind in Asia, and second-largest in the world. It will feature more than 370 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions and showcase over 900 brands and properties. The four parallel fairs will create abundant trading opportunities for crossover business activities among the participants from various sectors.

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  • Twin SME Fairs Open Today in Hong Kong

    Twin SME Fairs Open Today in Hong Kong

    Amid global economic challenges and intense competition, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to upgrade and add value to their products and services to stay ahead. To provide SMEs with a range of supporting services and business opportunities and help them capture global opportunities, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is staging the 16th World SME Expo and the second edition of the Hong Kong International Franchising Show. The concurrent events opened today and continue through 3 December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

    “This year is the HKTDC’s 50th anniversary. Over the past half-century the HKTDC has always strived to create business opportunities for Hong Kong’s SMEs,” said Raymond Yip, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC. “As the finale events of the Council’s Golden Jubilee, the World SME Expo and the Hong Kong International Franchising Show are continuing the HKTDC’s tradition by providing a highly effective one-stop business platform for SMEs to capture worldwide opportunities. The International Franchising Show, in particular, is featuring more well-known brands and franchising concepts in its much-anticipated second edition.”

    Belt and Road Zone

    This year’s World SME Expo features more than 400 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions, many of whom are keen to learn more about the Belt and Road Initiative and the unprecedented opportunities that are set to emerge along the Belt and Road routes for companies around the globe. To help Hong Kong SMEs seize opportunities arising from the Initiative, the Opportunities Hall of the World SME Expo features a dedicated “Belt and Road Zone”. The zone has gathered more than 40 exhibitors from 19 Belt and Road countries, including those from Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, to showcase their respective developments and partnership opportunities. It also spotlights the economic and trade cooperation zones and industrial parks in Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and Belarus that have been set up with investment from the Chinese mainland. Visitors can learn about the investment environment, conditions and latest developments of these cooperation zones and industrial parks and identify new opportunities.

    At the event’s Solutions Hall, SMEs can find a range of practical business solutions, including m-commerce and e-tailing services, which are among the consumer trends shaping business models worldwide. Government departments and business chambers are also showcasing supporting services for different types of businesses.

    Close to 70 speakers share their business experience

    This year, the World SME Expo is organising more than 30 seminars and workshops. The “Innovation & Branding – The New Breed of SMEs” seminar series, co-organised with the Trade and Industry Department, features leading entrepreneurs discussing ways to develop products and services, adjust business operation models and forge successful brand transformation. Speakers include Eric Sun, Managing Director of Kinox Trading Limited, who is an expert in branding through O2O marketing, and Dr Alfred Ng, Chief Technology Officer of Suga International Holdings Ltd, who will speak about ways to harness the power of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to develop industrial ecosystems.

    The seminar series “Embracing The Latest Trend of E-Commerce”, gathers industry experts from Google, LinkedIn and Baidu to share insights into mobile apps, social media trends and digital marketing strategies.

    The HKTDC has also invited renowned entrepreneurs to share their business experience at the expo. Speakers include Quincy Wong, Chairman of Convoy Global Holdings Ltd; Vincent Tsui, Chief Marketing Officer of Next Digital Ltd; and Skye Chan, Founder of e-tailing shop Gift-ing.

    Hong Kong International Franchising Show

    Franchising is an established model of business expansion that is particularly common in the food and beverage, retail and other services sectors. With a growing number of middle class brand-savvy consumers, brands are choosing franchising as a way to expand their business. To cater to this trend, the HKTDC debuted the Hong Kong International Franchising Show last year to provide a one-stop platform for companies and entrepreneurs to find franchising opportunities, business partners and get expert tips on franchising.

    This year, the fair has gathered more than 100 exhibitors from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Korea, Taiwan, the ASEAN region and Australia as well as Europe and the United States to showcase franchising opportunities in food and beverage, retail, education, health and beauty, and other personal and business services in three thematic zones: “Catering”, “Non-Catering” and “International”.

    Various well-known franchising brands have returned to the show, including Papa John’s Pizza, a US pizza chain; Trendyland Studio, which specialises in selling Disney products and providing Disney-themed photography services; and KamCha, a local Hong Kong food and beverage brand. New exhibitors include Sunshine 24, Hong Kong’s first 24-hour self-serve laundry chain; Cafe Cafe, a Canadian specialty coffee brand; Coerver Coaching, a football training system; InXpress, an international courier intermediary company; and Hong Kong’s School of Creativity.

    “Advice from the Wise” seminar series

    This year, the HKTDC has launched a new seminar series called “Advice from the Wise”. The series features industry experts from the US, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and the Chinese mainland sharing advice on how to enter the mainland market, new operating ideas for the catering sector and how to develop domestic services into franchises.

    At the “Round Table Meeting”, representatives from franchising associations in the Asia-Pacific region are set to analyse the latest franchising trends, including those in Singapore, Australia, Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

    Business matching services and networking events are arranged during the event to help visitors expand their networks. There is also a series of Brand Briefing Sessions for visitors to explore cooperation opportunities.

    Alongside the World SME Expo and Hong Kong International Franchising Show, two other concurrent events are underway, further enhancing business synergy for visitors. These events are the Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum and InnoDesignTech Expo. Together, the four events provide a highly-effective one-stop value-adding platform for SMEs to capture global opportunities.

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  • Sales nosedive at Indonesia Motorcycle Show

    Sales nosedive at Indonesia Motorcycle Show

    Despite attracting more visitors than the last event, this years’ edition of the Indonesia Motorcycle Show (IMOS) failed to record higher transactions following the event’s closing on Sunday.

    According to data released by IMOS organizers, the biennial event, which ran from Nov. 2 to 6, attracted 90,186 visitors, a slight increase of 0.48 percent compared to the 89.751 visitors that attended the event in 2014. This year, only 751 motorcycle units were sold during the event, with a transaction value of Rp 19.39 billion (US$1.48 million), down by almost half compared to the Rp 35.7 billion booked in 2014 from the sales of some 1,500 motorcycle units.

    Responding to the decline, Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI) chairman Gunadi Sindhuwinata said the market was not in the best condition this year. He, however, said industry players were optimistic motorcycle sales would bounce back with the improvement of the economy.

    “In the next 10 to 20 years, the [motorcycle] sales can still see growth because the public still needs affordable transportation options,” he said on Monday.

    He added that the performance indicator of the show was not measured only by the number of transactions but also the ability of the show to inform the public of the latest technology.

    In general, the motorcycle market is getting smaller. AISI data show that during January to September, sales dropped by 9.74 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 4,351,397 units. This year, the association set a sales target of 6.5 million motorcycles, a minor increase from the 6.4 million sold last year.

    Agus Nurudin, the managing director of the Indonesian unit of global marketing research firm Nielsen, said based on the company’s latest consumer confidence poll, Indonesian customers had become more rational and had slashed their spending on tertiary goods, including gadgets and vehicles, amid the weak economy.

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  • Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair Opens

    Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair Opens

    The ninth HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair opened today and continues through 12 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This morning’s opening ceremony was officiated by Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Philip Yung, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) of the HKSAR Government.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), highlighted the diverse characteristics of the International Wine & Spirits Fair. “Featuring more than 1,060 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions, the Wine & Spirits Fair is an effective international promotion platform. The success of the fair is due to a variety of factors: Zero duties on Hong Kong wine imports since 2008, a large international exhibitor presence, international buyers especially wine importers from Asia, high value-added business opportunities and networking activities including grand tasting sessions, master classes, wine tastings, cocktail demonstrations as well as seminars,” Mr Chau said.

    Strong international flavour at the fair

    Since the HKSAR Government scrapped import duties on wine in 2008, the wine industry has recorded tremendous growth, attracting industry players to start or expand their business in Hong Kong. The value of Hong Kong’s wine imports rose from HK$1.6 billion in 2007 to HK$10.8 billion in 2015, a more than six-fold increase. Being a well-known wine trading and distributing hub, wine exporting countries are seeking to tap into the Asian market through Hong Kong. Besides Croatia, Finland and the Philippines exhibiting at the fair for the first time, wine producing regions, wine associations and trade commissions from around the world have formed 30 pavilions to promote their products. Among them, first-time group pavilion organisers include the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, Bulgarian Wine Export Association, Economic and Information Technology Commission of Guizhou Province from the Chinese mainland, Fukushima Prefectural Government and Kyushu Shochu Culture & Tourism from Japan, FENADEGAS from Portugal, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia.

    Located in South Central Europe, Slovenia is a wine producing country less familiar to consumers in Hong Kong and Asia. Slovenia’s viniculture is characterised by the country’s diverse geography and microclimates; its latitude aligns with many renowned and prolific wine-producing regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and Northern Rhone. Around 70 per cent of Slovenian wines qualify as premium wine. Aiming to capture the attention of Asia’s developing markets through Hong Kong, Dejan Zidan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, hosted today’s presentation under the theme of “Discover Excellent Wines From Slovenia – Taste the Slovenian Identity”.

    While Slovenia has a particularly high profile at the fair this year, a world of exquisite wines from around the world are also on show including:

    – Wine from Israel, a country with 5,000 years of wine-making history. Produced by Hevron Heights, Armagedon (Booth no.: 3E-D11) is brewed using traditional methods. Using grapes grown on the Judean Mountains at high altitude (950m) and aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, Armagedon is regarded as kosher wine, produced in accordance with Judaism’s religious laws.

    – Bulgarian orange wine from Wine Cellar Villa Melnik Ltd (Booth no.: 3D-B26). Orange wine, in spite of its name, is not made from oranges. Its darker colour results from extended contact of white grape juice with grape skins over a longer period of time. Orange wine is intense with a dry, tannic taste and nuttiness derived from oxidation, and can be paired with a wide variety of dishes ranging from beef to fish.

    – Crown Royal’s Northern Harvest Rye from Canada (Booth no.: 3CON-064). Crown Royal’s Northern Harvest Rye stunned the whisky world as the first Canadian whisky to earn a title in the authoritative Jim Murray’s Annual Whisky Bible with almost full marks and was named World Whisky of the Year 2016.

    In addition to zones such as Wine & Liquor Products, Whisky and Spirits and Friends of Wine, where the perfect food pairings are showcased, there are also dedicated zones promoting the industry’s all-round developments, such as Wine Investment, Wine Education and Wine Storage & Logistics zones.

    Promoting industry interaction

    During the Wine & Spirits Fair, more than 70 special events are arranged to provide a comprehensive platform for trading and exchange. These include the Wine Industry Conference, gala dinner, tasting sessions, master classes and thematic seminars. Close to 50 wine tasting sessions are organised to spotlight wines from Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Guizhou (Chinese mainland), Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and the US.

    Today’s Wine Industry Conference is titled “Uncover the Opportunities of the New Cool Climate Wine Trend”. Meanwhile, the eighth edition of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition Award Presentation Ceremony will be held tonight. Following the cocktail reception, the Gala Dinner titled “I FEEL SLOVENIA” will feature a menu prepared by Janez Bratovz, head chef of celebrated Slovenian restaurant JB RESTAVRACIJA. The seminar “How to Reach the Right Customers in China” and the buyer forum “Uncovering Business Opportunities in Booming Markets of Wine and Spirits” will be held tomorrow afternoon for the industry to discuss hot topics.

    Public Day

    On Saturday (12 November), the fair will be open to members of the public aged 18 or above, with tickets priced at HK$200*. Public visitors with full-priced tickets on that day will receive a Lucaris crystal wine glass valued at HK$110 on a first-come first-served basis while stocks last.

    Two master classes will be held on the public day including “Understanding Quality in Wines Currently Trending around the World with Jeannie Cho Lee MW” and “Sensory Experience of Wine by Debra Meiburg MW”. The public are also welcome to join wine tasting sessions, cocktail, whisky and spirit demonstrations and seminars. These include “Gifu Sake and Pottery Appreciation”, “Enjoy Shochu from Kyushu with Kumamon”, “Choosing from a Wine List – Tips and Tricks” and “Hong Kong Inter-University Wine Challenge 2016”.

    This year’s fair once again headlines the Hong Kong Wine Journey citywide promotion, which encompasses a series of wine tastings, wine and food menu pairing, seminars, themed tours and Lan Kwai Fong carnival. More than 160 restaurants will feature promotions such as “Birthday Wine” and “Wine and Food Pairing Menu”. For more details, please refer to the Hong Kong Wine Journey map or the website.

    Wine business keeps flowing through Hong Kong

    In the first nine months of 2016, Hong Kong’s wine imports reached HK$9.1 billion, a 22 per cent year-on-year increase. As for the city’s exports, they totalled HK$4.1 billion, up 25 per cent over the same period last year.

    *Tickets:

    Members of the public can purchase Public Day admission tickets on site priced at HK$200. Tickets for Public Day master classes are priced at HK$350 (including admission) and are available on a first-come first-served basis.

    Fair Website:www.hktdc.com/hkwinefair

  • HKTDC Optical Fair Opens with Record Exhibitors

    HKTDC Optical Fair Opens with Record Exhibitors

    The HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair 2016 started its three-day run (9-11 November) today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. A record of more than 780 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions are taking part in the fair, including new exhibitors from Indonesia, Poland and South Africa, providing a comprehensive trading platform for the industry. The show, which is in its 24th edition, is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association (HKOMA).

    To create more business opportunities for the exhibitors, the HKTDC has organised 72 buying missions from 47 countries and regions, comprising more than 3,000 companies. Participants hail from both mature and emerging markets, including The Eyecare Company and George & Matilda Eyecare from Australia, V.P.I. Canada Ltd from Canada, EXTEL CZ s.r.o. from the Czech Republic, Oriental Vision and 5lux.com from the Chinese mainland, Inter House Co. Ltd. from Japan, Eyespec2U Optical Centre from Malaysia, Empreus International from the Philippines, and INDO Optical, S.L.U. from Spain.

    Eye care and high-tech eyewear

    In today’s digital era, people are frequently using digital devices and the blue light emitted from these screens can be harmful to eyes, especially for youngsters. Responding to consumer demand, the Optical Fair is featuring protective lenses, including SWISSCOAT’s lens with blue-light filter, which can minimise eye fatigue while enhancing visual clarity.

    High-tech solutions continue to be a highlight at this year’s fair. With 3D printing technology maturing, a number of eyewear brands are leveraging the technology to design and manufacture spectacle frames. These include renowned German brands ic! berlin and Morgenrot, which are creating sophisticated, refined designs using 3D printing technology.

    Augmented reality (AR) is also seen in the application of eyewear-related products. A Hong Kong company is presenting its Faceme AR Glasses that enable users to “try on” virtual glasses by simply looking at the screen. Meanwhile, Austrian brand Swarovski Optik has designed lightweight binoculars for outdoor enthusiasts. Users can connect a smartphone to the product to easily see and record images.

    Famous names galore at Brand Name Gallery

    This year’s Optical Fair has nine product zones featuring a medley of eyewear products. The Brand Name Gallery returns with more than 220 top brands, including CONVERSE, EVISU, JAEGER, Markus-t, Miga, MINIMA, MUZIK, MYKITA, QUIKSILVER, Roxy, Superdry and Tonysame. Local artiste Luisa Leitao is displaying her eponymous brand’s eyewear products while Korean brand Sodamon is featuring its sunglasses collection that won the Grand Prize of the Good Design Award in both Korea and Australia.

    Other highlights include:

    – BIG HORN (Booth: GH-F12) is showcasing its large, circular-rimmed frames that were inspired by the angels and owls of Greek mythology. The Chinese traditional graphic pattern on the lens and bridge is a mix of eastern and western cultures. The design won the International Design Award (IDA) 2015 in the United States.

    – Korean brand MUZIK (Booth: GH-E06) is releasing its latest IMAGINE collection, paying homage to the legendary musician John Lennon. The collection features circular rims and bold cuts on the upper part of the frame.

    – Well-known German brand KUBORAUM (Booth: GH-M04) is featuring its latest collection, The Ceremony Capsule. Designer Livio Graziottin has hand-painted different exotic floral patterns for these classy sunglasses. Only a few dozen pairs of each model are available.

    – Italian brand MODO (Booth: GH-K04) is famed for producing eco eyewear with recycled and bio-based material, innovatively combining green elements with fashionable eyewear designs. The brand has even developed a patented “dual hinge” design for lightweight frames. The brand also advocates donating unwanted eyewear and runs an environmental programme to plant a tree for every frame sold.

    A number of eyewear parades are being staged during the fair, with models showcasing the latest collections of trendy eyewear brands. The winning and finalist works of the 18th Hong Kong Eyewear Design Competition are also exhibited at Hall 1D, displaying Hong Kong’s design prowess to international buyers. Buyers can also cast their votes to select the winner of the Latest Look Award.

    Other product zones at the fair display the latest eyewear and equipment in different categories, including sporting & professional eyewear, kids’ eyewear, reading glasses, eyewear accessories and optometric instruments & machinery.

    Conference and seminars examine industry trends

    A number of seminars will be held during the Optical Fair to help industry professionals gather and exchange global market intelligence. GfK, the renowned German market research institute, returns to the fair to speak on topic “How the Global Optics Industry Reacts to the Economic Development and Its Latest Trend”. Buyer forum on business opportunities in emerging markets will also be held.

    Tomorrow (10 November), the 14th Hong Kong Optometric Conference features experts from Hong Kong, Australia, Canada and the US to discuss the Advancement in Ophthalmic Treatments. Speakers include Professor Larry Abel, Associate Professor, Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne and Dr Geunyoung Yoon, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester in the US. A variety of topics will be examined, including “Effect of Myopia Control Lenses”, “Recent Development in Refractive Surgeries” and “Impact of 3D Printing in Spectacle Frame Design”.

    Hong Kong is a key trading platform for the eyewear industry, and local manufacturers continually strive to improve the quality and design of products for export. In the first nine months of 2016, Hong Kong’s total exports of spectacles, lenses and frames exceeded HK$15 billion, up 37 per cent year-on-year. Hong Kong’s top export markets are the US, Italy and the Chinese mainland. Exports to ASEAN have shown strong growth this year. These figures indicate the vibrant momentum of the local eyewear industry.

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  • Eco Expo Asia, Building and Hardware Fair Open Today

    Eco Expo Asia, Building and Hardware Fair Open Today

    The 11th editions of Eco Expo Asia and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair opened today at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The opening ceremony of Eco Expo Asia was officiated by Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Featuring more than 460 exhibitors, the two fairs run for four days (26-29 October). Nearly 90 buying missions were organised, comprising more than 4,000 corporate buyers from 30 countries and regions. Eco Expo Asia will open its doors to the public free of charge on the last day (29 October) to give visitors a better understanding of green industries.

    Eco Expo Asia spotlights climate change solutions

    The Eco Expo Asia is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the HKSAR Government.

    Speaking at the opening of Eco Expo Asia, Mr Wong said, “The Hong Kong SAR Government attaches great importance to combating climate change, and actions are being taken on various fronts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a view to reducing the territory’s carbon intensity between 50% and 60% by 2020, using 2005 as the base. We are on track to meet the said target.”

    Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said, “For more than a decade, Eco Expo Asia has spotlighted exciting technologies for a cleaner and greener future. This year, with reference to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, we have adopted ‘Green Solutions for a Changing Climate’ as the theme. This new focus aims to raise awareness of climate change solutions that will help governments and companies achieve their sustainability goals.”

    This year’s Eco Expo Asia has attracted more than 320 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions and features 12 overseas pavilions and group participations. The expo has nine product zones, spotlighting such topics as Green Transportation Experience, Waste Management and Recycling, Energy Efficiency and Energy, and Green Building Solution and Service as well as the newly-introduced Eco Home Tech zone. Industries, projects and technologies from various countries and regions are showcased, including a number of new green concepts:

    – Hong Kong EV Power Ltd. has brought its Smart Ceiling EV Charger, which can be installed at parking spaces without adjacent walls or columns. The charger is compatible with all EVs on the market.

    – Fortune Dragon Motors Ltd is featuring two pure electric commercial vans (models D11 and D12) that it distributes. The vans are compatible with European and Japanese charging standards and have a maximum range per charge of over 200 kilometres. The D12 model is available for visitors to test drive and test ride at the fair.

    – Eco-Green Group Ltd is exhibiting the Singapore-developed PlanterCell(R) SW-Tank, a high-strength, lightweight and innovative modular storm water storage tank. Made with recycled materials, the system provides a huge capacity for storm water collection and storage to prevent flooding.

    – China Water Industry Group Ltd is displaying its beverage bottle separation and crushing system. The recycled and assorted glass is crushed and processed into eco-friendly colour cullets, which can be used for wall, floor tiles, outdoor building and garden decorations.

    New Eco Home Tech zone

    The new Eco Home Tech zone is presented as a household setting that allows visitors to experience the green living concepts first-hand. An array of innovative green technologies, such as eco-friendly furniture and energy-efficient solutions are featured. Product highlights include the “ButterPly” Eco-friendly Plywood Furniture Series” brought by Upscaling Operations, which is easy to assemble with no screws or tools required; BAFCO Hong Kong Ltd’s Haiku(R) residential ceiling fan, which is equipped with the SenseME(TM) smart technology that monitors room conditions such as movement, temperature and humidity and adjusts fan speed automatically; and Ecopia (Hong Kong) Ltd’s compact household food waste processing system that can fit under the sink. With the use of micro-organisms to break down food waste into water and carbon dioxide, it helps minimise the accumulation of food waste at a cost of just HK$10 per day.

    Eco Asia Conference gathers industry leaders

    The fair’s signature event, the Eco Asia Conference, invites government officials and industry leaders from different countries and regions to discuss key green policies, sustainable developments and industry opportunities. Speakers this year include Yang Tiesheng, Deputy Head, Energy Conservation and Resources Utilisation Department, Ministry of Industry & Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China; and Enoch Lam, Director of Water Supplies, Water Supplies Department of the HKSAR Government.

    Other green topics, including Waste Management & Recycling, Air and Water Quality, Energy Efficiency and Energy, and Green Buildings are also in the spotlight. International industry leaders including Julius de Jong, Managing Director, Orgaworld Asia BV from the Netherlands; Murali Mohan Baggu, Group Manager, Power System Operations and Control Group, National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States; and Jan Zak, DGNB Senior Auditor and Member of the DGNB Technical Committee, ikl GmbH from Germany will offer insights into these hot topics.

    The inaugural Green Transportation Forum is also launched this year, comprising six seminars focusing on the development of the EV industry with topics covering the development trends of EVs, charging systems, technology advancement of solar energy vehicles, and more.

    Public Day to promote green living

    The public can take part in Eco Expo Asia for free on the last day (29 October), to experience the joy of green living through a range of fun activities. Mr Wong will also share his insights with secondary school students during the Dialogue with Secretary for the Environment session. Visitors may also join green workshops to learn how to make eco enzymes and practise permaculture. At the public day forum, representatives from the Hong Kong Observatory will discuss the impact of climate change. Furthermore, a renowned ecological educational consultant will offer tips on eco-photography while the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will introduce its “Eco Huqins Series” and stage live performances. “Green Mart” offers environmentally friendly products for sale, including DoDo Island’s handbags made with upcycled vintage fabrics from Chinese wedding gowns and Japanese kimonos.

    Building and Hardware Fair showcases innovative exhibits

    The HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair features more than 140 exhibitors, including new participants from Australia and Malaysia. Shangyu District of Zhejiang Province’s Shaoxing City, well-known as a building industry cluster on the mainland, hosts a pavilion at the fair. The seven fair zones include BIM & Building Technology spotlighting software systems and solutions, and Green Building Materials showcasing various green architectural supplies, as well as Building & Decorative Hardware, Indoor Decorative Materials, and Coating & Chemicals zones.

    Various innovative products on show the Building and Hardware Fair include:

    – VHSoft Technologies Company Ltd’s VHSmart(TM) Mobile Construction management system, a multi-function application that can be used to monitor project progress and for material tracking.

    – BLJ Building Materials Ltd’s Buteline Plumbing System, a drinking water plumbing system from New Zealand that can be installed without soldering. The tough and durable fittings are free of lead and toxic chemicals and are able to prevent the build-up of scale.

    – Talent Forest Ltd’s Far-Infrared Carbon Nano-fibres Heated Wood Flooring, which allows for remote-controlled temperature control via a smart device. The temperature can be adjusted within 5 to 20 minutes and the system will power off while preserving heat after reaching the target temperature.

    The inaugural HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will be held concurrently with the Eco Expo Asia and HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The fair has attracted about 380 exhibitors from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan featuring an array of exhibits in Outdoor Lighting, Professional and Industrial Lighting, Advertising Lighting, as well as Lighting Accessories, Parts & Components. As the lighting and building industries are closely related, the parallel fairs create a strong synergistic effect, creating more business opportunities for both exhibitors and buyers.