The first week of Hong Kong’s April tech fair bonanza has concluded on a high note as some 15,000 global buyers flocked to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) and Smart Lighting Expo which closed on 9 April.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), this year’s event featured an emphasis on sustainable and smart lighting solutions, with home automation, AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and smart lighting control systems drawing widespread buyer interest.
According to a survey of some 450 participants conducted by the HKTDC, 51.8% of respondents expect overall sales to increase in the next 1-2 years and 39.7% anticipate stable sales. Respondents view markets in Asia – Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and ASEAN - as the most promising in terms of sales growth over the next two years.
In terms of product trends, 48.9% of respondents said that home automation and smart lighting control systems hold the most potential for growth in the smart product category, while 39% nominated energy-efficiency control systems and 25.8% cited outdoor smart security lighting systems as the product categories with the most potential growth.
Increased numbers of buyers attended from Asia - including Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, Europe - such as the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Poland, as well as from Latin America - including Argentina and Colombia.
With over 108 countries and regions represented, the twin fairs continue to act as unparalleled platforms for cross-border trade.
British brand Limi exhibited its self-developed AI smart lighting control system at the fair for the first time and was pleased with the reaction. Founder and CEO Umer Asif said he had connected with more than 200 buyers and generated more than 50 leads. He expected the fair to bring in sales of US$40-50 million and was already looking forward to the next exhibition in October.
The energy will continue with the opening of two major tech and innovation fairs on 13 April - the Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and InnoEX.
Apart from tech fairs, the HKTDC will also host a series of lifestyle exhibitions later this month, including the Gifts and Premium Fair, Fashion InStyle, Home InStyle, International Printing & Packaging Fair and Deluxe PrintPack Hong Kong, all held from 27 to 30 April.