The sixth Lifestyle Expo in Dubai will take place from 25 to 26 June at the Hyatt Regency Dubai, connecting Hong Kong and Chinese mainland suppliers with buyers from the Middle East and Africa to create new partnership opportunities by capturing the robust demand for trendy consumer products.

Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province of the People’s Republic of China, the Expo will showcase a wide range of stylish and quality items from about 80 Hong Kong and mainland exhibitors, including consumer electronics and ICT products, household products and electrical appliances, fashion and fashion accessories, gifts and premiums, as well as watches and clocks.

During the two-day expo, about 1,300 importers, distributors, mass retailers, mail-order houses, department stores and specialty stores from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran and Africa are expected to attend. It will also feature business-matching and networking events as well as seminars.

Highlighting Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s lifestyle trendsetter, the Lifestyle Expo is among the HKTDC’s signature international promotion events with a successful track record in fostering trade between companies from Hong Kong and emerging markets worldwide, including Russia, Poland, Turkey, India and Indonesia.

Hub-to-Hub Strategy

Speaking at the press conference, HKTDC Regional Director for Middle East and Africa Perry Fung said both Hong Kong and the UAE are well positioned to benefit from the enormous business opportunities emerging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, “Hong Kong and the UAE are both hubs for key markets – Asia, and the Middle East and Africa region, respectively.”

He added that Lifestyle Expo provides the perfect setting for realising the hub-to-hub synergy and potential business opportunities that exist between the UAE and Hong Kong.

The fourth Hub-to-Hub Business Seminar will be held during the Expo to connect exhibitors from Hong Kong and the mainland with Middle East and African buyers for business collaboration. Business representatives from different regions will discuss news trends of online sourcing and synergy amid the latest developments of the UAE. The HKTDC Frequent Buyer Awards 2018 will also be presented during the Expo.

Sourcing Opportunities

HKTDC’s international fairs attracted over 11,000 buyers from the Middle East to source a variety of products in 2017. The Expo provides an ideal platform for regional buyers from the Middle East and Africa to take advantage of customised one-to-one business-matching services to connect with exhibitors from Hong Kong and the mainland.

Products from about 80 exhibitors will be spotlighted at the hktdc.com Small Orders showcase, where buyers can place orders of between five and 1,000 pieces.

Belt and Road Opportunities

The UAE is a vital connection point for China’s Belt and Road Initiative as enormous trade and investment from China flow though the UAE to the Middle East and the world. The Lifestyle Expo in Dubai, aiming to connect markets spanning Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe, also highlights the business opportunities emerging from the Initiative for Hong Kong and the UAE.

“With strategic locations and sophisticated economies, the UAE has become a regional hub with a diverse consumer base and Hong Kong companies may find plenty of opportunities in this flourishing market,” Mr Fung said the HKTDC is committed to exploring business opportunities in the Middle East for Hong Kong SMEs while helping those from the Middle East and Africa to expand their business in Asia through the Hong Kong platform.

Reinforcing Hong Kong-UAE Trade Links

The UAE is Hong Kong’s largest export market in the Middle East, and trade between the two economies presents an excellent opportunity to build new B2B (business-to-business) links along the Belt and Road.

Hong Kong’s exports to the UAE reached US$2,322 million in the first quarter of 2018, led by exports of telecom equipment and parts (40.1% of total), pearls, precious and semi-precious stones (21.8% of total) and jewellery (12% of total).

Fair Website:

Lifestyle Expo in Dubai: http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkledubai-en