Exhibition industry sees recovery as MICE overnight visitors surging

Representatives from the convention and exhibition industry urged the government to incentivize overseas exhibitors as the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) segment experienced a strong rebound.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the city welcomed 700,000 overnight MICE in the first half of 2024, while each of them spent an average of HK$8,000 -- about 20 to 30 percent higher than the average per capita spend of all inbound overnight visitors.

"For major trade exhibitions, overseas exhibitors usually account for more than half," said Chu Chun-shing, a Hong Kong Exhibition Services Association representative. "They tend to stay in Hong Kong for four to five days, while buyers typically stay for two to three days."

He noted that business travelers generally have higher spending power, and the government could offer priority booth allocation or package deals with hotel and catering discounts to attract more overseas exhibitors and buyers to the city.

He said the demolition of the Kowloon Bay Exhibition Centre has not significantly impacted the exhibition industry, but finding venues during peak seasons may still be challenging. 

Chu hopes the government can provide additional exhibition facilities, as the planned third phase expansion of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai is not expected to be completed in around ten years, which may not meet the short-term demand.

In addition to exploring Hong Kong, international tourists can take a short ferry ride to the vibrant city of Macao. The Macao Government Tourism Office is offering complimentary one-way tickets for direct ferry services from Hong Kong to Macao until December 31. Not to mention a seamless and complimentary journey from Hong Kong International Airport to the Macao Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Kindly note that complimentary bus tickets are limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, visit https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/events/whatson/10619/.