The 43rd HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the eighth HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 17th Hong Kong International Stationery Fair are set to open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) next week. Starting on 9 January and continuing through 12 January, the three fairs will feature more than 2,900 global exhibitors showcasing a dynamic range of innovative and high tech products.
Hong Kong’s major export products, including toys, are still being affected by the lacklustre global economy. Speaking at today’s press conference, Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC, said that Hong Kong’s exports of toy products reached HK$33.8 billion in the first 11 months of 2016. He also noted that the toy industry is the only sector reporting a higher reading in the HKTDC Export Index for the fourth quarter of 2016, indicating growing confidence about the performance of toy exports in 2017. On the other hand, the Christmas sales performance recorded increases in major traditional markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as emerging markets including the Chinese mainland, Mexico, Chile, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Mr Chau added that under the mainland’s “Two-child Policy”, new opportunities are expected to emerge in the coming years for the toy and baby product markets on the mainland since the number of births is likely to rise considerably.
“STEM toys – that strengthen the learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – as well as licensed products and toys applying virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are becoming more and more popular,” Mr Chau said. “Hong Kong companies can look into and explore these products.” He highlighted that the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair gathers a wide range of products from around the globe. The hktdc.com Small Orders zone in the fair, along with the HKDC Small Orders Online Transaction Platform and business matching service offered by the HKTDC, will facilitate product sourcing and building business connections.
Asia’s largest toys fair draws record exhibitors
The HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair will gather a record of more than 2,100 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, with first-time participants from Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Denmark. The event is the largest of its kind in Asia and second-largest in the world.
Five group pavilions will be featured in the fair this year, including the Chinese mainland, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UK, along with a “World of Toys” pavilion showcasing mainly European exhibitors and a global range of toy and game products. This year, the UK pavilion has doubled its exhibition space with 17 exhibitors, offering buyers more selections. The signature Brand Name Gallery will return with more than 220 renowned brands from 15 countries and regions. Among them will be 4M, Bburago, Eastcolight, Hape, VTech, as well as new exhibitors including Japanese building block brand nanoblock and Portuguese brand ELOU for educational toys made with cork.
The acclaimed Smart-Tech Toys zone will feature a range of toys with innovative technology capabilities. Some of the exhibits have incorporated the increasingly popular AR and VR technologies in their designs, along with mobile apps to make products more interesting and interactive for users. To meet the growing demand for STEM toys in the market, a new STEM Toys Product Display area will be launched at the fair.
Two new thematic zones, Pet Toys and Fireworks, will also be introduced this year. The Pet Toys zone will feature toys and daily supplies tailor-made for pets. The Fireworks zone will introduce festival fireworks, display shells, firecrackers as well as indoor and stage fireworks suitable for use in different events to industry buyers.
One-stop sourcing at concurrent Baby Products and International Stationery fairs
The HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair will be held alongside the Toys & Games Fair, featuring a record of close to 540 companies from 27 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from Qatar and Turkey. This year, the Korea pavilion will gather 32 exhibitors, an increase of more than 80 per cent compared with the last edition. Brand Name Gallery will feature close to 50 renowned quality brands from 14 countries and regions, while the Baby Tech zone, another highlight of the fair, will bring in 22 exhibitors to help visitors keep abreast of the high-tech product and smart living trends.
The Hong Kong International Stationery Fair, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, will feature over 250 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions, including new exhibitors from Bangladesh, Finland, India, the Netherlands and Spain. Exhibitors will showcase the latest art and craft supplies, back-to-school items, paper packaging and printing goods, office supplies and gift stationery.
During the fair period, a series of industry events will be organised. The influential “Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference 2017” will be held on 10 January under the theme of “Grasp the Chance: What’s New in the Market and Our Industry?”. Experts will explore the trends and opportunities in the global market, especially those related to the Chinese mainland. Other seminars include “STEM Toys – Next Big Wave”, “The New Epoch of Virtual Toys”, and “A Closer Look into the Key Influencers in Baby Product Trends”. Masayuki Takabatake, the renowned “Stationery King” from Japan and a representative from one of Japan’s biggest stationery brands KOKUYO, will deliver a seminar on “A Glimpse into the Forthcoming Design Trend”.
A number of product demonstrations and launch pads as well as buyer forums that explore opportunities in emerging markets and seminars analysing retail opportunities in the digital age will be organised during the fair. These events will enable industry players to exchange market information and keep abreast of the latest design and product trends.
Another highlight will be the “Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards 2017 Presentation Ceremony” to be held on the first day of the fair (9 January), with a winning products presentation taking place the following day. The award aims to uncover toy and baby products with unique designs, creativity and high quality, as well as to celebrate outstanding achievements in the industry. During the fair period, the winning products will be displayed at the Hall 3F-G Concourse.
Held concurrently with the Toys & Games Fair, the Baby Products Fair and the Stationery Fair is the HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show, which is the largest of its kind in Asia, and second-largest in the world. It will feature more than 370 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions and showcase over 900 brands and properties. The four parallel fairs will create abundant trading opportunities for crossover business activities among the participants from various sectors.