NEW CONVENTION BOOKINGS CONFIRM HONG KONG’S LONG-TERM APPEAL TO VISITORS

Despite the current dampening in tourist sentiment following the tragic events of 11 September, Hong Kong has been successful in the last month in winning five bids to host large-scale international conventions between next year and 2010, bringing a potential further 12,000 high-spending visitors to the city.

These five new events bring to more than 120 the number of conventions and corporate meetings already booked to come to Hong Kong in the next nine years. The total number of delegates involved is expected to exceed 115,000.

One of the latest organisers to confirm is Unicity Network, a major US-based nutritional supplement and personal care products company, whose executives are currently in Hong Kong to conduct site inspections and finalise details of their 2002 global convention.

The Unicity Network Convention will bring some 8,000 delegates and their families to Hong Kong between 5 and 8 August next year, including 5,000 from Japan. Up to 3,000 more will come from North America, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Other major events recently confirmed to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) include a 2,300-delegate leadership seminar for the Japan arm of Amway International, the US direct sales company, in May 2003; an international international dentistry congress set to attract 600 to 800 visitors in 2007; and a world congress for up to 600 leisure and recreation administrators in 2010.

The HKTB’s Executive Director, Clara Chong, said after meeting Unicity officials she was greatly encouraged by their positive views on Hong Kong as a conference venue. “There is no doubt that in the wake of last month’s terrible events, Hong Kong’s tourism industry is going to suffer some short-term pain,” she said. “The public’s reluctance to travel is entirely understandable and we have already revised our growth forecast to zero for 2001.

“This makes it all the more important, though, that we step up our efforts to attract high-yield convention and exhibition business,” Ms Chong emphasised. “The fact that convention organisers are continuing to commit to new events several years ahead indicates that Hong Kong’s long-term tourism prospects remain very solid.”

HKTB research shows that in 2000, convention and exhibition visitors stayed for an average 4.8 nights and contributed HK$11,317 per capita to the local economy, compared with an average 3.0 nights’ stay and HK$4,539 in per capita spending for visitors as a whole.

Ms Chong also observed that none of the fundamentals that make Hong Kong one of the world’s most popular convention destinations – in particular its reputation as a business-friendly venue – had changed. “Indeed, they are going to get better in the coming years as we have many new attractions coming on stream,” she noted.

Another encouraging aspect of the recent convention bookings is that in nearly all cases, the proposal to make Hong Kong the venue has been initiated by the local office of the organisation concerned. “This is one good way in which local people can contribute to the economic recovery by helping attract new tourism business,” Ms Chong said.

Aaron Webber, Unicity’s Senior Vice-President, Global Sales, explained that the company had an extensive network of distributors in both North and Southeast Asia which made Hong Kong an ideal and easily accessible location for next year’s event. “It also offers the wide range of facilities we need in terms of deluxe hotels and venues for the conference, a product exhibition and various theme parties,” he said.

“Many of our distributors will bring their families along to take advantage of the Mega Hong Kong Sale and other events in the City of Life: Hong Kong is it! programme that are taking place at that time,” Mr Webber added.

The major events of the Unicity conference will be staged at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, whose Managing Director Cliff Wallace also sounded a positive note for Hong Kong’s long-term strength as a conference venue.

“Tragic though the recent events have been, they will not alter the increasing globalisation of business which in turn, will create ever-increasing demand for world-class destinations offering world-class convention and exhibition facilities,” he said. “Hong Kong meets both criteria. I can promise Unicity and other convention organisers that what we can offer will not only match, but exceed their expectations.”