Aircraft Interiors Expo Lands at the HKCEC

The HKCEC is pleased and excited to be welcoming a brand new exhibition to the Centre next year. It's Aircraft Interiors Expo-Asia, which will run from 14 to 16 September 2005 and showcase recent innovations in seating, in-flight entertainment, galley equipment and interior decor. An annual European version of this exhibition has been operating in Hamburg for some years, attracting around 400 exhibitors. The Organiser UKIP Media and Events believes the time is ripe to launch an Asian version of the booming event, and that Hong Kong is the best place to do it. "Hong Kong is one of the most important airline hubs in the region" said one spokesperson, "and we've received huge support for establishing a show here." Keep an eye on the HKCEC's newsletter and website for more information on this and even more new exhibitions coming to Hong Kong and the HKCEC over the next year!

Sixteenth Birthday

It's time to celebrate the Centre's sixteenth birthday! We're proud to have reached the second half of our second decade with our reputation strong and the Centre firmly established as the premier exhibition venue in the Asia Pacific region. There won't be any grand-scale anniversary celebration activities, but in honour of the occasion we want to take the opportunity to thank all our clients and business partners for their business and continued support throughout the years. We're convinced that the best way we can reward our clients' loyalty is by understanding their needs and providing them with outstanding services, in the process keeping the HKCEC the proven choice in Hong Kong for many years to come.

Cards for Keys

The HKCEC has taken advantage of new advances and trends in electronic security to introduce its new "Access Control Electronic Lock System". This card-operated system is now being used to control access to the Centre's organiser suites, VIP rooms and dressing rooms. The security advantages of this new system are obvious, with organisers now having records of the identity of every one who enters and leaves these premises, and their access times. By next June, we plan to have extended the card-operated system to all our meeting rooms for extra convenience. As always, your views on the new system are welcome, since customer feedback is the single most important information we use what it comes to planning changes and improvements for the Centre.

Freedom of Exchange

In order to be successful, the exhibition industry depends on open exchange of information, on the free movement of people, goods and services between countries, and on efficient, transparent banking and taxation systems. The realities of economic freedom, however, vary enormously from country to country across the world, as recent surveys by Canada's Fraser Institute and the World Bank show dramatically. The Fraser Institute's list of the world's freest economies was topped by Hong Kong, with Singapore second and the US, Britain, Switzerland and New Zealand in joint third position. China came in well down the list in 90th place. The survey covered 123 nations and was based on the year 2002, the latest for which full data is available. The World Bank's recent survey, meanwhile, placed Hong Kong firmly in the top ten countries of the world when it comes to ease of doing business. In response to these results, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR Government Henry Tang stressed the Government's commitment to maintaining "traditional institutional strengths such as the rule of law, the free flow of capital and information, a level playing field, an efficient and corruption-free Government, and a simple and low tax regime." All excellent news for the exhibition industry in Hong Kong!

HKECIA Survey Shows Growth

According to figures released recently by the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) in connection with its Annual Exhibition Survey, 2003 managed to set some positive new records even though it was a year in which the exhibition industry in Hong Kong was beset by SARS. The HKECIA survey garnered its figures from 67 exhibitions that responded to its survey questions. The results showed that although SARS caused the numbers of visitors from overseas to fall slightly from 2002 levels, significantly increased visitor numbers from Hong Kong itself meant that total numbers of visitors to exhibitions surpassed 3,300,000 for the year. Visitors from Mainland China contributed to that increase, too, growing by 6% to 90,490. Exhibitor numbers fell slightly, but the survey recorded that some 29% of the total number of exhibiting companies in Hong Kong were from outside Hong Kong and Mainland China, evidence that, internationally, Hong Kong is still seen as a crucial gateway to the Asia Pacific region.