The HKTDC Lifestyle ShoppingFest, a brand-new public fair organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), came to a successful close yesterday (2 May).
The fair kicked off on 28 April (Wednesday) and ran over five days at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), featuring 430 exhibitors and attracting more than 55,000 public visitors.
HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau said: “The Lifestyle ShoppingFest is the first physical show organised by the HKTDC since the pandemic began early last year. We implemented a series of anti-pandemic measures to safeguard the health and safety of participants. We were pleased to see a positive response from exhibitors and the public, reflecting the fact that physical shows are irreplaceable. The HKTDC responded to the needs of Hong Kong enterprises, bringing them additional selling opportunities during a challenging period, while the public were provided with an enjoyable shopping experience.”
Apart from the Hong Kong Book Fair and concurrent fairs running in mid-July, the HKTDC will also host several trade fairs including the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show from 25 to 29 July, and the International Sourcing Show from 26 to 29 July. The three fairs will be the first concurrent physical trade fairs to be staged by the HKTDC since the pandemic. It is expected that the three fairs can create synergies across industries, enhancing sourcing efficiency and creating more opportunities for cross-industry exhibitors.
Physical fair provides boost for business
This five-day Lifestyle ShoppingFest provided a valuable opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to understand more about consumers’ preferences. The HKTDC conducted a survey to gauge the views of exhibitors, finding that 75% of exhibitors agreed that physical shows can help to boost their businesses.
Richard Leung, Director of the Ballerina Watch Company Limited, said: “The pandemic has inevitably decelerated the economy and had an impact on exports and local retail. The Lifestyle ShoppingFest is a timely opportunity to provide a solid selling platform for various industries as the pandemic subsides. Consumers of high-end products such as jewellery and watches prefer examining tangible products, which explains the importance of physical fairs.” He added that as the pandemic comes under control, sales of food and hygiene products will see a brisk recovery, followed by a progressive resumption of sales for high-end consumer products.
It was the first time for optical agent Opticon Ltd to join a local public fair. Christopher Chan, Director of the company, said, “We focused on commercial clients in the past, but we are now looking to explore the retail market. The people flow and atmosphere at the Lifestyle ShoppingFest was good, helping us to get to know more about consumers’ preferences which in turn will give us more confidence to build up our retail business.”
OMG Design, the sole agent of Israel suitcase brand Rollink in Asia, promoted its feature products at the fair having seen strong growth in consumer demand for household products amid the pandemic. Andy Cheung, the company’s Business Development Manager, said: “The Lifestyle ShoppingFest showcased a wide range of products that attracted local consumers from different age groups. We adjusted our marketing strategy, offering special prices to attract visitors at the fair. We successfully sold more than 100 Rollink suitcase at a discount of 45%, earning revenue of approximately HK$80,000.” Mr Cheung also met a jewellery industry buyer and wine supplier interested in using the company’s suitcases for product packaging and corporate gifts. He hopes to close more business deals after the fair.
To help exhibitors grasp online business opportunities, the KOL Live Station was set up at the fair. The HKTDC partnered with the team from Bonjour Hong Kong to introduce a range of highlighted products, and individual exhibitors also got the chance to present their own products at the Live Station. A series of live-broadcast sessions featured products from nearly 60 exhibitors, with some of the products made available for online sale at the Bonjour HK Mall. The HKTDC is also collaborating with e-commerce platform Boutir to offer exhibitors the chance to open an online shop with a three-month free service to help them get established as an online retailer.
Gourmet products remain popular with public
A survey of visitors to the fair showed the four most popular product categories to be food and drink (75%), healthcare and sanitary products (20%), houseware (20%), as well as luxury products such as jewellery and watches (18%). The reasons visitors found the show attractive included special prices and discount offers (65%), product quality (61%), and the variety of products offered (57%).
Of those surveyed, 82% of visitors expressed satisfaction with the health and safety measures put in place at the show, including reminders on social distancing, the cleanliness of public areas, and minimising the exchange of cash at the event.
