hktdc

More than 106,000 buyers attend 4 major trade shows to start the new year.

A New Record. Nearly 2,900 exhibitors took part in four shows, which opened on January 6: the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, Hong Kong International Stationery Fair and HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show. Over 106,000 buyers attended the show, an increase of 5% over the previous year.

Happy Birthday! The Toy Fair, the largest of its kind in Asia and second-largest in the world, celebrated 40 years with two new areas of business, this year. Smart-Tech Toys and Therapy Toys. Here’s a video:

Emerging Markets. “Most Toy Fair buyers came from the Chinese mainland, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the United States,” says Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) deputy executive director Benjamin Chau. “Participation from emerging markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Middle East grew significantly; mature markets like the United Kingdom, Canada and Korea also recorded good increases.”

The HKTDC organized more than 160 buying missions counting nearly 10,000 buyers to the four fairs. Among them were major importers and distributors, including the US’s Toys “R” Us, Japan’s Tokyu Hands, Korea’s CJO Shopping, Russia’s Brainy Brats, the mainland’s yhd.com and JD.COM, and Thailand’s The Mall Group.

Mr. Chau says that the HKTDC would step up its promotional efforts in emerging markets, inviting more local buyers to Hong Kong to help Hong Kong companies capture new market opportunities.

Small Orders, Big Business. The Small-Order Zone was once again set up at the Toy Fair, as well as the Baby Products and Stationery fairs. Some 110 showcases displayed products, which were available in quantities from 20 to 1,000 pieces. Nearly 7,000 buyers visited the zone during the four-day-fair period, generating over 16,000 business connections.

Response to the Smart-Tech Toys zone was strong. One of the zone’s exhibitors, Roam & Wander Ltd, presented TuTu, a rabbit powered by an iPhone app. Marketing Manager Casper Chen says that TuTu was popular among buyers. The product was awarded this year’s “Best of the Fair: Electronic & Remote Control Toys,” at the Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards.

Quality Buyers. Ken Lo, general manager of educational toy maker Eastcolight, says fair traffic was strong. “The quality of buyers and demand were high,” he says. Mr. Lo expects his company’s sales to go up some 5% this year.

Suitable Suppliers. Sebastian Wetzel, CFO of Babyloop, a German online shopping site specializing in baby products, says he had found suitable suppliers at the Baby Products Fair. “We plan to buy a variety of products at the fair, including baby bibs, diapers and sleeping bags. We target to place US$80,000-US$100,000 in on-site orders.”

Russia’s Begemott, with 88 outlets in the country, sells baby toys and games and owns nine brands. The company’s project manager, Evstratova Xenia, says she found the scale of the fair impressive, adding that she had found two quality suppliers through the fair’s business-matching service, and was pleased with the outcome.

The Toy Fair, the Baby Products Fair and the International Licensing Show are organized by the HKTDC, while the Stationery Fair ia organized by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.

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The Hong Kong Trade Development Council is reaching out to companies, industry leaders and select schools in the United States, focusing on opportunities to work together.

We live -and thrive- in a global economy. I’m a huge fan of the “Made in the USA” moniker, not only as a “shop local” philosophy, but as an expression of how we can export our goods and services to benefit the world. The “follow” quality of the Made in the USA movement also inspires other nations and manufacturing powerhouses to step up their ways of doing business, too.

That’s why I’m bringing attention to what can be the largest Hong Kong promotion ever to take place here this summer: Think Asia, Think Hong Kong.

Promotion organizer Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is showcasing the advantages for American companies looking to tap new business opportunities in China and Asia with symposiums held in New York and Los Angeles on June 11 and 14 respectively. Scheduled speakers include CY Leung, chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and more than 60 prominent senior executives from global companies. “As the global economic balance continues to shift to Asia, Hong Kong is the ideal business platform from which to access the myriad regional opportunities now available in the growing ASEAN area and the Chinese mainland,” says HKTDC chairman Jack So. “Our low taxes, free economy, rule of law, English-speaking environment and world-class business services make us the preferred partner for any overseas businesses wishing to tap these growing possibilities.”

The Think Asia, Think Hong Kong sessions will focus on why US companies should use Hong Kong’s business advantages, how Chinese enterprises are expanding their international presence through Hong Kong and what mainland companies are looking for in global partners.

Established in 1966, HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers, and is getting support for the Think Asia, Thing Hong Kong promotion from 14 Hong Kong partners and close to 100 US organizations. About 1,400 US trading, banking, finance and transport firms are in Hong Kong, and roughly 869 US companies maintain regional headquarters or offices there – more than any other country.

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