The 5th HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will run from 8-10 November in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this year, and is expected to attract over 900 exhibitors to showcase a variety of products and services such as liquor & beverages, accessories and tools, wine labelling, bottling, packaging, storage & logistics, wine education and wine tourism.
It is truly international, attracting exhibitors and buyers from every corner of the globe. The 2011 fair hosted a record attendance of over 900 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions, promoting Old World Wines and New World Wines. Visitor numbers also set a new fair record with over 19,000 trade buyers coming from 71 countries and regions, a 37 percent increase over 2010.
Wine Education, a new zone in 2012, will be a focal point for a number of interesting events which include Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition, Fine Wine Tasting, Cocktail Demonstration, Wine Industry Conference, Asia Top Sommelier Summit, as wells as a series of wine-tasting sessions, forums and master classes. These activities will capture the attention of both wine industry players and general public, imparting information in an authoritative and entertaining way to deepen wine appreciation.
Due to growing international attention on the wine industry, many exhibitors and buyers have participated in the fair with successful outcomes and positive impressions. In 2011, Bill Calabria, Managing Director of Westend Estate Wines from Australia received four orders worth a total of AUD500,000 from the Chinese mainland and Japanese customers. Companies like Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico from Italy took the opportunity to introduce their wine products and considered Hong Kong’s wine fair a springboard to the exciting Asian and Chinese mainland market. Wine & Spirit Education Trust in the UK, which runs education centres in 55 countries intended to raise the company’s profile through the fair. Masako Wang, Merchandiser of President Chain Store Corp., which operates 7-11 convenience chain stores across Taiwan, sourced a variety of wines and made useful connections in the fair.
In 2011, Hong Kong’s total wine imports reach USD1.3 billion, up 40 percent compared to the previous year, and with substantial increases in a number of countries such as France (54 percent), Italy (62 percent), Japan (30 percent), Singapore (73 percent), UK (36 percent) and USA (46 percent). These figures confirm Hong Kong as Asia’s wine trading hub, a status that has also been endorsed by industry players and global media.