Just one day before the Labour Day holiday, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council wrapped up seven co-located lifestyle and licensing exhibitions that pulled in more than 95,000 professional buyers from 134 economies. The influx filled hotels to near-capacity and generated brisk business for airlines and Cathay’s regional services, highlighting the city’s rebound as a face-to-face deal-making centre. Survey data released by HKTDC show nearly half of exhibitors expect sales growth over the next two years, even as they flag currency volatility and geopolitical tensions as headwinds. Notably, buyer turnout from the Philippines, Canada and Türkiye outpaced 2025 by double digits, suggesting that Hong Kong’s outreach beyond its traditional US-EU base is bearing fruit. Deals announced on the show floor ranged from a US$1 million art-licensing agreement to six-figure orders for eco-friendly homeware. The council also inked MOUs with trade bodies in Fujian, Shanxi and Busan to help companies use Hong Kong as a springboard for Belt-and-Road expansion. From a global-mobility perspective, the fairs tested the city’s refreshed MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) infrastructure—new automated immigration counters processed delegates in under 15 minutes on arrival, while the Airport Express reinstated 10-minute headways during show days. Corporations planning regional sales conferences are likely to view the successful logistics as proof that Hong Kong is again “open for business.” Industry watchers say sustained recovery of the convention segment will hinge on continued flight-capacity growth and competitive hotel pricing, but the latest numbers show the pipeline is moving in the right direction.
Source: The Standard
