AI and games drive hopes for computer fest turnout

Ayra Wang

The organizer of the Hong Kong Computer and Communications Festival expects visitor numbers to go up by at least 5 percent when the four-day event kicks off at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from next Friday.

This year's event will feature around 300 exhibitors - the most since 2009 - and 800 booths in five halls, as well as fifth-generation and green technologies.

A new zone featuring artificial intelligence is set to be a main attraction for its cutting-edge technology and gaming experience with companies such as Asus and Microsoft

Roger Hung Ying-fung, the chairman of the organizer Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry, said yesterday the sector has "high hopes" the event will boost business.

"We will launch several promotions and discounts during the event to attract more visitors and provide exhibitors with more opportunities, amid a slow-growing economy and sluggish market," he said.

Entry tickets will cost HK$35 while tourists can get them for HK$10 on site.

The first 1,000 tourists to register will also receive a HK$100 voucher.

The event will also offer a limited number of tickets to mainlanders through Alipay from yesterday and on Sunday for HK$1, while locals can also redeem the ticket with 500 reward points via AlipayHK during the same period.

Every visitor will also get a coupon valued between HK$10 to HK$500, which can be used to buy products, and there will also be 20 products worth over HK$1,000 available for only HK$20.

The chamber's former chairman, Sam Hui Kin-sang, is confident the turnout will be 5 percent better than last year's 500,000.

Hui is basing his optimism on exhibitions held earlier this summer and the event's discount offers.

Founding chamber president Jacky Cheung Yiu-sing said more tourists are expected to come to this year's event and purchase more.

One exhibitor expects to see more custom after achieving good profits in last year's event, while another exhibitor, Ng, said he will reduce prices to sell more as customers have become more cautious.

Meanwhile, the Belt and Road Software Pavilion 2024, an exhibition featuring more than 120 software companies from the mainland, Hong Kong and other regions will also be held next Friday and Saturday at the fair.

Mainland brands such as Huawei, Lenovo and China Mobile are targeting customers from the SAR government and small and medium enterprises.