The HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair opened on Monday, Jan. 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The three fairs, which run concurrently from 7-10 Jan, feature some 3,000 global exhibitors and showcase a broad selection of innovative products. Matthew Cheung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), officiated at the opening ceremony this morning and delivered the opening remarks.
The current Sino-United States trade friction has brought about uncertainty in the global economy. Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Executive Director Margaret Fong said: “Although the latest developments in the negotiations between the United States and Mainland China indicate that a settlement in the trade dispute is now more likely, we can still expect to see a slowdown in the growth of toy product exports in the coming year, even as the global economy continues to grow. The HKTDC will step up its efforts to support the industry in developing more diverse businesses and exploring new markets, as well as allocating resources to invite buyers from emerging markets such as ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations], India and the Middle East to participate in our trade fairs.”
Ms Fong noted that the HKTDC has organised around 125 buying missions from 65 countries and regions, comprising more than 9,200 buyers from more than 6,200 companies, to source at the three fairs.
Smart and Educational Toys in Trend at Asia’s Largest Toys & Games Fair
The 45th edition of the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair features more than 2,100 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, making it the largest event of its kind in Asia, and the second-largest in the world. Six group pavilions, including Mainland China, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, as well as the “World of Toys” pavilion, featuring mainly European exhibitors, are showcasing the latest toys and games from around the world. A fair highlight, the Brand Name Gallery features about 240 renowned brands, including 4M, Hape, Ming the Minibus, Soap Studio, STEM University and Welly.
The Smart-Tech Toys zone gathers a variety of toys and games that incorporate virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), as well as those compatible with mobile apps. As educational toys exploring children’s potential continue to gain in popularity, a STREAM Toys Product Display highlighting toys related to science, technology, robotics, engineering, arts and mathematics has been set up at the fair. Other thematic zones include Pet Toys, Fireworks and Kidult World – the latter showcasing toys for grown-ups such as hobby goods, magic items, action and war game items, as well as models and figurines.
Toys Industry Conference Unveils Market Trends
The Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference 2019 will be held tomorrow (8 Jan) to explore ways to build a bright future for the global toy sector, with industry experts including a Euromonitor analyst, a toy industry consultant and publisher from the US and a leading Hong Kong toy manufacturer coming together to examine development trends in the global market and opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative. Other seminars include “Smart-Tech & DIY Toys – What’s New?”, “Toy Safety & Regulations Updates”, “Toys Compliance, Testing & Certification”, “Insight into the Upcoming Stationery Trends” and “Digital Marketing: Innovation Key to Success”, featuring representatives from Guru Online and Madcradle Online.
Concurrent Baby Products and Stationery Fairs
The 10th Hong Kong Baby Products Fair has attracted more than 610 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions, including those featured at pavilions from Korea, Singapore and the Hong Kong Children, Babies, Maternity Industries Association. The debut Maternity Products zone presents a variety of pre- and post-natal essentials for mothers, while the Baby Tech zone showcases high-tech smart products. The Brand Name Gallery presents close to 50 well-known quality brands. The winning products of the Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards 2019 can be viewed at the Halls 3F-G Concourse during the fairs showcasing creative designs to international buyers.
Organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, this year’s Hong Kong International Stationery Fair welcomes more than 260 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, including pavilions from Korea and Taiwan as well as first-time exhibitors from Australia and Malaysia. The fair is once again organised into five distinct product zones, namely DIY Supplies, Gift Stationery, Kids & School, Pen & Paper and Smart Office, for an easy-to-navigate sourcing environment. The “One Moment in Time” display at the entrance of Hall 5B showcases a variety of stationery that people use in different stages of life.
The three fairs are held concurrently with the HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (7-9 Jan) to provide a one-stop sourcing platform for buyers, creating synergy and more cross-sector business opportunities. The fairs also continue to feature the hktdc.com Small Orders zone with its online transaction platform, and on-site business-matching service to facilitate business partnerships and sourcing.
