New Events Together with Healthy Growth Affirm AsiaWorld-Expo's Status as a World-Class MICE Venue

Building on its success in 2010, the venue is poised for growth in the years ahead

HONG KONG, March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- AsiaWorld-Expo, Asia's leading exhibition, convention and events venue, is facing the future with confidence.  It has recently signed a contract with Global Sources to introduce two new specialist trade fairs catering to "Medical & Health Products" and "Solar & Energy-Saving Products", as well as to extend the hosting of the current series of "China Sourcing Fairs" up to 2014.  This major new contract is yet further proof that AsiaWorld-Expo is one of the region's top MICE venues, both for new and established shows.  Since their debut at AsiaWorld-Expo in 2006, the "China Sourcing Fairs" have grown from strength to strength.  In 2010, this high-profile series of fairs featured over 12,800 exhibition booths and attracted 120,000 trade visitors from around the globe. 

"Extending our contracts with AsiaWorld-Expo continues the expansion of Global Sources' high quality, face-to-face trade shows.  I am happy to announce the inaugural Medical & Health Products and Solar & Energy Savings Products shows scheduled to be held in April 2011, which expands and complements our existing line-up of China Sourcing Fairs," remarked Mr. Merle A. Hinrichs, Chairman and CEO, Global Sources. "AsiaWorld-Expo is Hong Kong's preeminent exhibition facility.  Its location, configuration flexibility, and services are unique.  We are proud to call it home for our highly specialized China Sourcing Fairs."

It is not only the "China Sourcing Fairs" that have experienced healthy growth since their introduction at AsiaWorld-Expo.  Numerous other recurrent trade fairs have undergone significant expansion at the venue.  For instance, the "Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair" has become the largest event of its kind in the world since choosing AsiaWorld-Expo for its innovative "One Fair, Two Venues" concept introduced in 2009 -- and this mammoth show continues to grow.  In 2010, it grew by 5% to welcome 3,205 exhibitors from 45 countries and territories, with a record high of 44,274 trade buyers, up 13% from 2009.  In 2011, the fair will expand yet further to occupy a record 130,000 square metres of exhibition space across two venues, making it the largest fair ever held for any industry in Hong Kong.  

The "Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress" is also returning to AsiaWorld-Expo for the third consecutive time in 2011.  This important biannual event is set to be the biggest ever, with record numbers of visitors expected from around the world, including more than 300 influential business leaders at the high-level congress.  Moreover, the inaugural "CARTES in Asia", held at AsiaWorld-Expo in 2010, was likewise such a success that the event quickly confirmed its return to AsiaWorld-Expo in 2011. 

More new exhibitions, conferences and public shows such as "2011 International Antiques & Arts Expo -- Hong Kong" (28-30 May), "Better Living Expo" (22-24 July), "Vitafoods Asia" (7-9 September), "Wine Future Hong Kong" (6-8 November), "Super Inflatable Game Carnival" (8-17 July), among many others can also be enjoyed at AsiaWorld-Expo in 2011.

"Our successful track record gives us great confidence for the future," said Mr. Allen Ha, Chief Executive Officer, AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited.  "In our 5^th year of operation in 2010, AsiaWorld-Expo reached a number of significant milestones.  The landmark "River of Wisdom -- Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qing Ming Festival" exhibition welcomed almost one million visitors, equivalent to one-seventh of Hong Kong's total population.  Our conference business also continued to grow, and we launched our newly renovated Runway 11 event hall, which provides unparalleled facilities for conferences and other corporate functions.  In total, over 3.2 million visitors came to AsiaWorld-Expo last year.  In economic terms, it's been proven that our trade fairs alone contribute over HK$9 billion to Hong Kong's economy every year and generate an estimated 18,000 full-time-equivalent jobs."

Looking ahead, AsiaWorld-Expo is set to enjoy strong market growth for many more years to come.  Its proximity to several key cross-border infrastructure projects will make it the default MICE hub for the entire Pearl River Delta region, which itself is forecast to become one of the world's most important economic zones in the coming decades.  Projects such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which will be adjacent to AsiaWorld-Expo, will give the venue a direct catchment of over 100 million people, and will ensure that AsiaWorld-Expo remains one of the world's most important MICE venues for many years to come.

To learn more about AsiaWorld-Expo and upcoming events, please visit www.asiaworld-expo.com.

About AsiaWorld-Expo

AsiaWorld-Expo is a public-private partnership between the Hong Kong SAR Government (majority shareholder) and a private sector consortium formed by Dragages Hong Kong Limited and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited, with the Airport Authority Hong Kong contributing the land.

AsiaWorld-Expo is offering over 70,000 square metres of rental space.  With 10 state-of-the-art, ground-level and column-free halls including the AsiaWorld-Arena -- the biggest purpose-built indoor seated entertainment arena in Hong Kong with a maximum capacity of 14,000; the AsiaWorld-Summit -- Hong Kong's largest indoor conference and banquet venue that seats 700 to 5,000 persons; the Runway 11 -- the venue's latest conference and function hall for 500 to 3,800 guests, AsiaWorld-Expo is Asia's only column-free, ground-level exhibition, convention and events venue which is fully integrated with one of the World's Best Airports, Hong Kong International Airport (World Airport Survey by Skytrax). 

The complex is located at the centre of an extensive and efficient air, land, and marine transport network which connects Hong Kong to Mainland China's Pearl River Delta and the world's business capitals.  It is ideally suited to hosting world-class exhibitions, conventions, concerts, sports, and entertainment events.