Travel Fair cover premium travels in Asia’s top markets
First held over 30 years ago, ITE’s buyers, regional trade, MICE and quality FIT visitors come mainly from Hong Kong, Asia’s 3rd largest by outbound spending, and (mainland) China, World’s and Asia’s largest! Truly international, 87% of ITE’s exhibitors are from outside the city and over 50% of its participating countries and regions from outside Asia!
MARKET – With 2018 outbound spending of US$26.5 billion, Hong Kong also ranked world’s 11th largest, but its per capita outbound spending at around US$3500 is higher than top global markets like USA at around US$440 and Germany at around US$1134 (TABLE A) ! The Greater Bay Area (the Bay), which includes cities like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau and several other major cities of Guangdong, has a combined GDP of US$1.69 trillion and a population of 68 million. Mainland cities of the Bay contributed 17.5% of ITE’s visitors in two trade days.
The only travel fair in Hong Kong, ITE covers leisure, MICE and highlight theme travels. It has separate days for travel trade and MICE, and public visitors, with different media partners, admission policy and promotions etc. In fact, ITE offers B2B, B2MICE and B2C programs.
The annual ITE Hong Kong is organized by TKS and supported by, for examples, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Macau Government Tourist Office, Travel Industry Council Hong Kong, and MICE associations etc.
Regional Trade Visitors & Quality FIT
Attending ITE 2019’s trade days, which require registration for admission, are 11613 regional buyers and visitors respectively from Hong Kong (63%), mainland China (26%) and other parts of Asia (11%). By sector, over 50% from travel agent / operator and 18.8% from MICE and corporations.
Of ITE’s 73665 public visitors, 85% prefer traveling in FIT / Private Tour! More importantly, they are educated (44% university and another 23% postsecondary), and take multiple outbound holidays (60% Three or more in past year but only 0.2% None)! All reflect well on their quality as target customers.
Thus, ITE exhibitors not only can conduct channel sale, but meet also quality travelers who play increasing role in deciding on routes, destination and budget allocation.
ITE MICE – the only MICE show in Hong Kong & southern China
In ITE 2019 were nearly 2200 MICE / Corporate visitors while 141 exhibitors present related travel products; and 8 MICE seminar and a Forum hosted jointly by the International Live Event Association (ILEA) Hong Kong Chapter and the MIX magazine etc.
Survey found 51.6% of all MICE and corporate visitor interest in holding incentive tour while 33.2% in holding business meeting abroad. Significantly, 41% of travel trade visitor interest in both MICE and leisure travel which perhaps a reflection of synergy!
ILEA Hong Kong and MIX Magazine hosted a MICE Forum, while the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association (HKECIA), which and other chambers of commerce and professional bodies help promoting and/or inviting their members, a supporter.
International Exhibitors Presenting Trendy Theme Travels
Though there is an official Hong Kong pavilion, only 12.5% of ITE’S 675 exhibitors came from the city! Among the 56 participating countries and regions, 39% from Asia, 29% from Europe, 18% from Americas and Oceania, and 14% from the Middle East and Africa.
Visitors will often be talking directly to service providers from different destinations! A pioneer in Asia, ITE promotes In-depth / Theme Travel which are popular with Luxury Tour, MICE, Private Tour & FIT (TABLE B), or in short travel products for various well off travelers in ITE! These make ITE attractive to buyers, regional trade visitors, MICE and quality FIT travelers.
China and Japan Pavilions, respectively with over 100 and some 80 stands, are the largest and the second largest Japan pavilion! Not counting those provincial pavilions “nested” within a large pavilion at national level, there were over 30 official pavilions / stands from Asia, Europe and Africa etc.
Co-exhibitors presenting products on leisure, MICE and theme travels can often be found in the same pavilion. Some highlight various travel themes ranging from Sport, Green, culture, Cruise to Gourmet etc., while several others bring cultural teams performing in grand stage inside the exhibition halls.
Quality FIT visitors in ITE – Plenty & Accessible
English speaking and Hong Kong SAR passport holders can visa-free to visit over 150 countries / regions. FIT is popular in Hong Kong. By gathering tenths of thousand quality FIT, public days of ITE a cost effective platform for direct promotions or even sale to travellers.
Highly educated and take multiple holidays, 66.9% of FIT / public visitors interest in sourcing / booking holiday and 62.4% in attending travel seminar in ITE. Also, 55% interest in joining “local” tour after arriving at the destination. Tech savvy, 61.3% of them do book online directly with suppliers which is higher than the percentage of 51.6% booking with OTA.
B2B, B2MICE & B2C Programs Available
In addition to having separate Trade and Public Days, ITE features some 20 seminars for travel trade, 8 for MICE and around 100 for public / FIT. Many of the MICE seminars held in the second Trade Day which is designated as MICE / Corporate Travel Day.
ITE’s B2B program includes, for examples, Business Matching for Buyers quick-dating with Sellers; pre-show promotion of exhibitor’s Trade Seminar or Workshop by e-newsletter and on website for online pre-registration; Free e-promotions on website, face book and we-chat; sponsorship and online and onsite advertising etc. In fact, exhibitors can rent and hold their function conveniently in purpose-built seminar rooms inside exhibition halls.
Totaling nearly 100 with each lasting for around 30 minutes, travel seminars in ITE’s public days are highly well attended! Held inside the exhibition halls, popular seminar can draw well over 100 audiences, who often line up by themselves without supervision outside seminar room waiting for the next seminar!
Exhibitor interest in holding public travel seminar shall apply to the organizer, who will make selection so as to uphold quality. ITE’s B2C program also include Free time slot for cultural performances in grand stage inside exhibition halls; sponsoring prizes for grand lucky draw; and onsite advertising etc.
ITE Hong Kong 2020, which combines the 34th ITE Leisure and the 15th ITE MICE, will be held from June 11 to 14 at Halls 1A to 1E of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, with the first two days for trade and professionals only, and the last two days open to public.
Table A – International Tourism Expenditure
TABLE B – Theme Travel by Exhibitors, Trade & Public Visitors
