Quick takes

88,000 buyers at HKTDC’s spring tech shows

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded its two spring tech shows, InnoEX and Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) which attracted some 88,000 buyers from 139 countries and regions with about 3,000 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions.

Global Sources opens April 2024 shows

Global Sources opened its April 2024 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows on 11th April 2024, the first of three phases. The first phase, Global Sources Consumer Electronics, and Global Sources Electronic Components, featured some 4,000 booths. The second phase, featuring mobile electronics, home & kitchen, etc. is on this week. While the third phase, fashion, sports and outdoor gear will be held 27th to 30th April. BSG will report the numbers as they are published.

A lesson about venue-organiser event risks

Not an Asian story, but a well-written and thoroughly researched story about what can go wrong with organiser-venue joint ventures. (Short answer: A lot.) Good work by Mike Fletcher at Exhibition News.

More MICE competition between Singapore and Bangkok

A TTGmice article with details about the competition heating up between Singapore and Bangkok for MICE events. Both have strong government support, world-class venues, a good customer service culture and so on. Singapore maybe feeling the squeeze as the cost of doing business there has risen considerably since COVID.

Yen at record lows

This is an article about Singaporeans flocking to Japan for holidays due to the incredibly weak yen. The Japanese yen is now at 34-year lows trading at 155 yen to the US dollar. (Less than a decade ago, it was 80 yen to the US dollar.) If that trend holds, it could massively boost foreign participation at Japanese trade shows.