The 28th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), the 11th Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo and the 21st Eco Expo Asia concluded with some 62,000 buyers from 152 countries and regions, according to NEWMEDIAWIRE. The lighting fairs were organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), while Eco Expo Asia was jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and co-organised by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
The significance of the turnout lies in the signal it sends about demand in the lighting and green technology sectors. An independent survey of more than 740 exhibitors and buyers at the two lighting fairs found that 63% expect sales to increase over the next two years, while 34% anticipate sales will remain unchanged. The Chinese Mainland (85%), the Middle East (84%) and ASEAN (84%) were identified as the most promising markets. Respondents also pointed to artificial intelligence (54%), technological advancement (44%) and smart city development (43%) as the top drivers of industry growth, with 86% viewing the market potential of smart lighting over the next two years as promising or very promising.
HKTDC Associate Executive Director Silas Chu said the three exhibitions demonstrated Hong Kong's advantages as an international trade platform, noting that Eco Expo Asia introduced an ASEAN Pavilion and the GoGlobal Connect Zone for the first time to provide B2G, B2B and B2C matching opportunities. The twin lighting fairs, held under the theme "Beyond Illumination", featured some 3,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions, drawing about 39,000 and over 11,000 buyers respectively. The new LED Display Solution zone debuted this year, and the Hall of Connected Lighting brought together some 70 brands, including Signify, which presented a racing simulator experience with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.
Eco Expo Asia raised its international profile with over 340 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions and 18 pavilions, including the debut ASEAN Pavilion and Qinghai Pavilion. More than 30 forums and thematic sessions drew over 4,400 visits, and over 300 senior officials and representatives from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Belt and Road and ASEAN countries visited the event. Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China Huang Runqiu said at the welcome ceremony that Hong Kong serves as an important gateway for the country's opening up and that the Expo's theme, "Connecting the World for a Sustainable Future", was timely and highly meaningful.
The implications extend beyond transaction values, which exhibitors reported in the millions of US dollars. The fairs adopted the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, with the online component of Eco Expo Asia open until 5 November and the online exhibitions for the Autumn Lighting Fair and the Outdoor and Tech Light Expo running until 6 November. Exhibitors and buyers can continue business discussions through the Click2Match smart business matching platform. Details of the events are available at the Autumn Lighting Fair, Outdoor and Tech Light Expo and Eco Expo Asia websites, while exhibitor and buyer quotes are published in the lighting fair success stories, Outdoor and Tech Light Expo success stories and Eco Expo Asia success stories. Photos can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/3WdWx6Q.
For the lighting industry, the survey results suggest that smart and energy-efficient products will shape investment decisions, while for the green sector, the expanded international participation at Eco Expo Asia points to deepening cross-border collaboration. The HKTDC, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub through international exhibitions and other platforms. Messe Frankfurt, the world's largest trade fair organiser with its own exhibition grounds, describes sustainability as a central pillar of its corporate strategy, as detailed at www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability.
