Latest figures confirm an ongoing trend: not only is Hong Kong nowadays an increasingly popular destination for Mainland tourists, but businessmen and traders from the PRC are also flooding into the city to take advantage of its myriad opportunities for doing business. The trade fair industry is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this trend, as Mainland businesses recognise the importance of establishing a positive presence in the region's premier international business environment. "Of all Asian destinations, Hong Kong offers visitors the most effective exposure to international decision makers," says Cliff Wallace, Managing Director of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, "and is the one best guaranteed to help swell their order books."

The figures are unequivocal: averaged across 35 of major international trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong, Mainland visitor numbers rose by 38 per cent from 2001 to 2002, with some fairs attracting increases of nearly 70 per cent. Over 56,000 Mainland visitors participated in these 35 trade fairs in 2002, a number boosted by the introduction of new and simpler visa arrangements between Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The robust growth of the Pearl River Delta powerhouse means that a significant proportion of Mainland business visitors nowadays are arriving from just over the border. Explaining what brought his business to a recent Hong Kong trade fair, Mainland garment manufacturer Ricky Lee spoke of how "these days we have a very close relationship with Hong Kong at many levels, with forty per cent of our production exported through the city." Fuelled by globalisation and buoyed by a strong work ethic, the PRD region exported more in 2002 than in the preceding thirteen years. It is this same dynamism that is seeing its business leaders flocking to Hong Kong's trade fairs to further expand their business prospects, taking advantage of the city's internationalism, strong legal framework, and advanced logistics and infrastructure systems.

Both buyers and exhibitors are well-represented on the trade fair scene. Mainland participants have learned that Hong Kong trade fairs offer the best environment for attracting and negotiating with quality international clients. The sheer range of the city's trade fair portfolio attracts representatives from a huge variety of vibrant industries, including toys and games, fashion and textiles, watches and clocks, beauty and cosmetics, leather, jewellery, gifts and premiums, housewares, optical products, and electronics. With Hong Kong holding some of the largest consumer product exhibitions in Asia, Chinese manufacturers can see the huge market potential arising from an astute positioning at these fairs. The numerous material advantages Hong Kong offers Mainland businesses is continuing to enhance its status as China's premium destination for international trade fairs.