Enthusiastic industry response to capture new opportunities following border reopening HONG KONG, Jan 13, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - The latest trade fairs organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) recorded encouraging traffic and exhibitor participation, with many buyers placing orders at the fairground. The recent reopening of the Hong Kong-Mainland China border and resumption of international travel has helped drive the industry's enthusiastic response, allowing buyers and exhibitors to seize opportunities. Across four days, the 49th HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, 14th HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 21st Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair welcomed over 21,000 buyers from some 100 countries and regions who participated physically and online. More than 12,200 buyers attended the three fairs in-person. Non-local buyers travelled from near and far to join the physical fairs, including Mainland China, ASEAN, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. European buyers came from, amongst others, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom, while buyers from the Middle East and Brazil, Chile and the United States took part as well. While the physical part of the three fairs came to a close today, exhibitors and buyers can continue to connect online until 19 January. The first three trade fairs of the year adopted the HKTDC's new EXHIBITION+ model, which includes not only the physical shows, but also virtual access facilitated by its smart business matching platform Click2Match, connecting exhibitors and buyers online. As of today, the HKTDC has arranged over 1,000 business meeting sessions. HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Ms Sophia Chong said: "The HKTDC has promoted the fairs in the past few months, and actively invited quality exhibitors and buyers from around the world to participate in-person. Following the resumption of quarantine-free travel between the mainland and Hong Kong, we are happy to see buyers from Mainland China, ASEAN and the wider Asia region, Europe and the Americas travel to Hong Kong for the fairs. Business travel in Hong Kong is gradually returning to normal, with industry being more optimistic about the future. This is welcome news for our upcoming fairs." Creating more global business opportunities with the border re-opening This year's fairs featured an assortment of new products from more than 1,000 exhibitors. A long-term supporter of the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Eastcolight (Hong Kong) Limited, introduced their AR educational toys at the event. Co-founder Ms Salley Sze said: "It is exciting to see that global buyers are back in Hong Kong this year. We have met with overseas buyers from Brazil, France, Israel, Italy, Russia and Turkey who are very interested in our products. We are confident in the fair's business results." Xiamen Baby Pretty Products Co., Ltd has been participating in the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair since 2009, which has helped expand their export business over the years. CEO Mr Sam Yang appreciated the quality of buyers this year and revealed that his company has met with 80 to 90 new buyers from Southeast Asia and Turkey. While their existing customers have confirmed US$2 million worth of orders, they have also received on-site orders worth US$200,000-300,000 from four new buyers. Ms Malwina Jaworska, Acting Director of Product Development Department of 4Kraft Sp. z o.o., a baby products company in Poland, said: "Through the HKTDC's Click2Match smart business matching platform, we have found a new supplier from Hong Kong who can provide quality strollers with nice designs. We plan to buy US$850,000 worth of strollers from them. We have also reserved a budget of US$7 million for buying baby beds and high chairs at the fair." Sales manager Mr Scott Wen of Mirage International Industries, a US exhibitor at the Stationery & School Supplies Fair is satisfied with the fair results. "It's clear that industry players are eager to get back to in-person business. We have had inquiries from Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, the USA, the Philippines, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and even the Middle East and India". Scientific educational, kidult and green toys lead the future of play At the flagship Hong Kong Toy Industry Conference 2023 on 10 January, key toy industry trends were unveiled by speaker Mr Clifton Chiu, Research Analyst of Toys and Games of Euromonitor International. He noted that the rise of scientific educational and kidult toys and the impact of sustainability will be in the spotlight. Mr Chiu added that scientific educational toys were a perfect product for families looking to mix education and entertainment for their children during the pandemic with limited outdoor activities and schooling. Also, kidults, mainly young professionals, are willing to spend their disposable income on collectible toys and blind boxes that let them relive their childhood. Another key trend is sustainability, many big players have adapted manufacturing and packaging methods in accordance with the sustainability concerns of consumers. The Toys & Games Fair has various themed zones, such as Smart-Tech Toys and Kidult World, together with a special Green Toys label introduced this year, to help buyers identify and source the popular product categories in the industry. For more comments from exhibitors and buyers, please visit the following websites: HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hktoyfair/en/success-stories HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkbabyfair/en/success-stories Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkstationeryfair/en/success-stories Fair Websites - HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair: http://hktoyfair.hktdc.com/ - HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair: http://hkbabyfair.hktdc.com/ - Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair: http://hkstationeryfair.com/ - Photo download: https://bit.ly/3GUCRtx About HKTDC The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn. Media enquiries HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department: Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org
HONG KONG, Jan 11, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Industry players should catch up on trends, especially on technology use, as the world returns to normal this year, delegates at the Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference 2023 heard. The conference covered a plethora of the industry's pressing issues, trends and aspirations themed "The Future of Play".The Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference 2023 The Future of Play covered many pressing industry issues, trends and prospects.In the panel discussion E-Commerce is Shaping the Way for Toys Industry, moderator Stanley Lee, President, E-Commerce Association of Hong Kong, invited the three speakers to share insights: Yoyo Ng, General Manager of iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited; Betty Tse, Associate Business Development Director of AlipayHK and Raymond Choy, Founder of Toy2R Group Limited.The one-day conference on 10 January was co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Toys Council and the Toy Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong Limited, running concurrently with the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair.Key trendsThree key toy-industry trends were explored by the conference's first speaker Clifton Chiu, Research Analyst - Toys and Games of Euromonitor International, as he noted that the rise of scientific educational toys, kidult toys and the impact of sustainability will be in the spotlight.Mr Chiu said scientific educational toys were a perfect product for families looking to mix education and entertainment for their children during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, which limited outdoor activities and schooling. He said kindergarteners in Hong Kong had increased access to scientific educational toys that enriched different aspects of their learning, such as mathematics and vocabulary whereas Singapore had implemented robotics and programming into their primary school curriculum since 2018.He said kidults, mainly young professionals, were willing to spend their disposable income on collectable toys such as blind boxes that let them relive their childhood. Kidults could afford to spend US$15,000 on a pair on Jimmy Choo x Sailor Moon limited edition boots but he believed more brands may see the potential for monetising nostalgia.Sustainability had increasingly impacted the manufacturing and packaging of toys and games with many big players such as Lego consulting consumers and adapting manufacturing and packaging methods in accordance with the sustainability decisions of consumers, Mr Chiu said. For instance, Mattel's Barbie Loves the Ocean Series is made with recycled plastics collected from the ocean."Toys and games are no longer just a problem for kids alone. It is an industry of mostly multi-generational feel that has and will continue entertain everyone no matter how old you are or wherever you live," Mr Chiu concluded.Where and what to look intoIn the second session, The Key to Success - Things You Need to Know, three industry veterans shared their intelligence. Drawing on years in the industry, Salley Sze, co-founder of Eastcolight (Hong Kong), noted that it was essential to develop a good brand which helped build up confidence for existing and prospective customers which would eventually be translated into potential business. Then she offered advice on hardware and software, from manufacturing to people management, from quality control to meeting various international standards, as well as from marketing and promotions to being socially responsible that help lead to success.Arnoldo Concepcion, Co-Chief Operating Officer of Animoca Brands, said web3 technologies were at an early stage of development but use of nonfungible tokens (NFT, blockchain technologies) that allowed users to use experience and interaction to engage in digital lives. This had huge potential in toy industry applications. Web3 technologies could allow an RPG (role-playing) video game user who built a castle, for example, to create different types of experience such as inviting friends to visit the castle or to rent out the virtual building, which created value for the players, he noted.Mr Concepcion also introduced the decentralised governance concept allowing participants to own platform, as opposed to a central party that could make decisions that may or may not be good for the ecosystem and participants. "These concepts are at a very early stage and it's time for a lot of ideas to flourish and be developed and experimented with," he stressed.Noletta Chiu, Executive Director of Medialink Group Limited, said the licensing industry was a multi-billion dollar global market and best-selling items were mostly licensed characters. Matching target customers with trending products alongside innovative marketing were key success points in toy licensing.The new game to playIn the panel discussion E-Commerce is Shaping the Way for Toys Industry, moderator Stanley Lee, President, E-Commerce Association of Hong Kong, invited the three speakers to share insights.Yoyo Ng, General Manager of iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited, introduced attendees to the company's proprietary omni channel marketing platform which fulfils data-driven marketing automation objectives. The market intelligence platform, she added, offered audience insights which can help formulate digital marketing strategies for Hong Kong, Mainland China and around the world. "The beauty of digital is everything can be measurable, and thus we are able to identify and also measure the conversions for all the clients," she explained.Betty Tse, Associate Business Development Director of AlipayHK, said widespread acceptance of online shopping and electronic payments during the pandemic allowed merchants to analyse transactions and come up with products that fitted the needs and interests of consumers. This led Alipay to launch a digital market platform in May last year that allowed merchant partners in Hong Kong to reach out to its 1.3 billion mainland users. Also, the company was building up a global alliance with Japan, Korea, elsewhere in Asia and Europe so digital wallets are connected globally to facilitate effective marketing and payment convenience.Raymond Choy, Founder of Toy2R Group Limited, said the company used to design toys and manufactured in the mainland while selling to Europe through their distributors. This was made impossible during the pandemic. The company explored the NFT market in the mainland in order to survive, which proved a great success. For instance, the company launched three limited designs of its hero character QEE, each with 10,000 copies, on the Alipay platform in October 2021, which were sold out in 95 seconds.The e-commerce platform suited small to medium sized companies and manufacturers most, especially for handling trade of small quantities, Raymond emphasised. "Manufacturers should invest time and money to try [e-commerce] and then you will get good results," he advised.Fair Websites- HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair: http://hktoyfair.hktdc.com/- HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair: http://hkbabyfair.hktdc.com/- Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair: http://hkstationeryfair.com/- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3QxAwceAbout HKTDC The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.Media enquiriesHKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgKate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.orgAgnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Sept 22. 3 more Covid-19 deaths bring total to 65; third time in 4 days new cases in community cross 1,000 1,178 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Singapore on Tuesday. READ MORE HERE 80% of adults fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in Malaysia It has also lifted more restrictions and announced an expansion of a pilot plan to resume domestic travel. READ MORE HERE At UN, Biden promises ‘relentless diplomacy,’ defence of democracy Mr Biden said the American military "must not be used as the answer to every problem we see around the world". READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news In climate pledge at UN, Xi says China will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad The Chinese leader vows to accelerate efforts to help the world battle the climate change crisis. READ MORE HERE Aukus submarine deal signals new Indo-Pacific balance of power A more transactional US and aggressive China will push the region to eventually reach an eight-stage mutually assured destruction nuclear balance. READ MORE HERE Body found in Wyoming identified as missing US woman Gabby Petito Petito's family reported her missing 10 days after her fiance returned home from a cross-country road trip without her. READ MORE HERE Two boys under investigation for alleged vandalism linked to TikTok challenge The "Devious Licks" challenge has seen participants in the United States bragging about the things they stole from schools on the video-sharing platform. READ MORE HERE 'I realised I was burning and my clothes had burned off': Worker recalls Tuas factory explosion during inquiry hearing Mr Mehedi, the youngest of the 10 injured workers, suffered burns to his head, face, back, shoulders, arms, hands and leg. READ MORE HERE Getting arthritis in their 20s: Condition affects not just the elderly The first symptoms are usually pain and stiffness in the lower back or buttocks region. READ MORE HERE McDonald's Happy Meal toys to go green globally by 2025 More toys will also be made from recycled or plant-based plastics. READ MORE HERE
HONG KONG, Dec 7, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Amid the current challenges, companies are taking new approaches in the quest to grow their businesses. Twenty-two webinars held recently as part of Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE (ASWO) brought leaders from various industries together to share the latest market intelligence on lifestyle trends that can help companies develop new business opportunities. The seminars included the "Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference - Toys for the Future", "Divulge the Next Era of Home", and the "Hong Kong International Watch Forum".Kenny Sham, Director, Head of Marketing (Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau), LEGO Group, suggested that small and medium-sized toy makers could try to find local YouTubers to represent their brands.Speaking at the Hong Kong International Watch Forum, Samuel Lee, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited (centre), advised the industry to build a strong foundation for domestic markets in Hong Kong and Mainland China.New toy industry initiatives attract millennialsThe "Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference" was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Toys Council and the Toys Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong. Jason Tjiptadi, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, provided his perspective on the current state of the industry through data analysis. He pointed out that in regions such as Mainland China, India and Indonesia, millennials are now high-income earners who are willing to spend on quality products. They are also tech-savvy, sensation-seeking and environmentally conscious. To attract millennials to spend, multi-platform entertainment and physical/digital crossover toys are the way to go for large toy manufacturers, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can explore licensing opportunities, such as the record-breaking box office hit Ejen Ali in Malaysia, to create peripheral products that can help develop their businesses.Another speaker at the conference was Kenny Sham, Director, Head of Marketing (Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau), LEGO Group, who also saw millennials as a key target group. He said that ViuTV and Netflix are two of the media channels that have emerged rapidly among kids in Hong Kong. He suggested that small and medium-sized toy makers could try to find local YouTubers to represent their brands as they are very popular with children. Understanding that millennials value shopping experiences, LEGO has incorporated new technologies into its brick-and-mortar stores. For example, customers can swipe their intended purchase over a scanner to see a 3D image of the finished product on the screen, which helps to capture their attention and drive them to make a purchase.Responding to the rising popularity of environmentally friendly toys, Alain De Rauw, International Sales Director of PlanToys, shared his insights on striking a balance between conservation and profitability. Established in Thailand in 1981, the brand is unique in that it produces wooden toys with no chemicals, uses recycled wood chips and lists the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during production. He remarked that one of PlanToy's business strategies is to develop green and aesthetic designs and communicate the brand's story, which drives customers' word-of-mouth recommendations on platforms such as Instagram to create free marketing. He said that the road to sales is not easy, but he believed that millennials would "buy less, but buy better".Decoding four houseware trendsUnder the current trend of working from home, people have become more concerned about the design and configuration of their homes. Creative Trends Services has been selling books and magazines based on global trend forecasts for many years. Michael Leow, Founder & CEO of the company, presented the fall/winter trends for home products in 2021/22 under four themes: "New Era", mixing old and new styles to build emotional connection and security; "Revive", a vintage style of the 1950s where the colour schemes are vibrant and warm, with the feature of curves; "Dawn", emphasising handmade products with a slightly surrealist style; and "Brute Force", which strives for simplicity with earthy colours and a strong emphasis on tactility.Hong Kong brand EMOH specialises in furniture inspired by Scandinavian design. Ally Yu, Business Development Manager at EMOH, discussed some of the latest interior design trends under the pandemic. As the work-from-home trend grows, people have greater demand for lighting, storage and soundproofing furniture, as well as more greenery and designs with a reduced environmental impact. In terms of e-commerce, Ms Yu said that brands are beginning to develop online showrooms that allow customers to place orders once they have something in mind. She explained that EMOH is investing in user interface and user experience design capabilities to improve its mobile homepage.Watch Forum explores impact of digital transformationThe pandemic has had an impact on the performance of the watch industry in many countries. At the "Hong Kong International Watch Forum", co-organised by the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Limited and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited, industry representatives from France, Germany, Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong pointed out the pressures facing the industry, with watch imports and exports in all regions showing a year-on-year decline compared to 2019. Speakers at the conference explored a range of topics including smart watches and the importance of digital transformation to help manufacturers protect their businesses during this challenging period.A trend observed by the industry in many countries is for people placing more emphasis on their health due to the pandemic, with smart watches incorporating healthcare functions becoming the way forward. Japanese representative Hiroyuki Baba noted that this might lead to a challenge to the market for entry-priced quartz watches. Swiss high-end watch brands, however, are continuing do well. In Japan, for example, Patek Philippe, Omega and Richard Mille all posted a slight increase in sales after June.The watch industry continues to shift its focus to online platforms. Korean representative Dae-boong Kim noted that the three offline sales giants in Korea - Emart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus - have all been actively developing their online capabilities, while French representative Patrice Besnard noted that "without online platforms, many retailers would be gone". German representative Guido Grohmann said that physical fairs are still difficult to replace and that "the impulse to buy a watch has much to do with being able to show it to someone else".Regarding the watch industry forecast for the coming year, it was noted that the Mainland China is the only region optimistic about the coming year. Zhang Hong-guang, Director General of the China Horologe Association, explained that the pandemic has been effectively brought under control in the mainland and citizens who were not able to travel had turned to domestic consumption. This has helped to drive up revenue from watch sales. Samuel Lee, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited, said the watch market has been volatile since 2015 due to political, currency and global economic issues, advising the industry of a need to build a strong foundation for domestic markets in both Hong Kong and the mainland.The results of the 37th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition were announced during the conference. Under the theme of "Persistent Spirit", the Open Group Champion honour went to Benny Tam, sponsored by Wincy Horological Limited, with a design titled "Headwind". Wong Ting-bong, sponsored by Po Fai Precision Ltd/Youngs Watch Company Limited, was the first runner-up with his piece "Parallel Universe". The second runner-up spot went to Lee Tung-chun with his piece "The Filmera". The design theme for the student group was "Beautiful Legend" and the winning entry was "The Adonis Rose", designed by Wong Ka-yan from the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE). First runner-up was designer Liu Shing-kai from the Hong Kong Design Institute, with a design titled "Promise", while the second-runner award went to Chow Hong-man from the Technological & Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong for his entry "Essence".Organised by the HKTDC, Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE showcased the latest products from 11 industries including electronics, houseware, lighting, outdoor lighting, green technology, gifts and premiums, toys, baby products, stationery, eyewear, watches and clocks, providing a one-stop online sourcing platform for SMEs. The online exhibition, which drew to a successful close on 27 November, featured more than 2,600 exhibitors and attracted more than 27,000 buyers from 132 countries and regions to participate.Websites- Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE: http://asw.hktdc.com- hktdc.com Sourcing: http://sourcing.hktdc.com- Photo download: https://bit.ly/33I5mYkAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.Contact:Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com