Largest ever ‘Hong Kong in Style’ looks to explore lucrative GCC markets

The second ‘Hong Kong in Style exhibition’ will be inaugurated tomorrow (Monday 7th November 2005) by H.E Sheikh Hasher al Maktoum bin Maktoum Director of Dubai Information Department at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. David Eldon, Chairman of the Hong Kong Development Council, will also be present to officiate at the occasion.
The exhibition is being held concurrently with the annual International Autumn Trade Fair and hosts a variety of companies specialising in premium fashion accessories, watches, jewellery, electronics, houseware and hotelware. It will target a UAE market that accounts for US$ 2.9 billion worth of exports from Hong Kong in 2004, a sharp appreciation of 15 percent over 2003.
Hong Kong in Style’s debut in 2004 drew over 20,000 buyers from 70 countries, and the show is looking to build on last year’s success in 2005. The number of visitors is expected to increase this time around as the Hong Kong in Style show boasts the largest-ever gathering of 200 plus Hong Kong concerns in the Middle East.
“We are looking to build on our highly successful outing last year. Very few cities in the world can offer us the kind of opportunities that Dubai presents, particularly from a business perspective, and this year’s exhibition is the largest and most diverse yet,” said Jeff Ambjorn, Middle East Director for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, organiser of the event. “We are showcasing a much wider range of products across all categories, and are also introducing further novelty in styling and design. Visitors can expect to see the best that Hong Kong has to offer.”
In addition to the exhibition, a delegation of Hong Kong business leaders will be in Dubai, exploring new business opportunities between the UAE, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The delegation will be led by David Eldon, chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
The exhibition’s launch in the morning will be complemented by a press conference in the evening,where David Eldon’s business delegation will address a variety of issues, especially in regard to promoting  trade between Hong Kong and the GCC. This will be followed by the Hong Kong Extravaganza, a gala evening celebrating the business relationship between Hong Kong and the UAE. The Extravaganza will be a night of Hong Kong flair, fashion and cuisine, showcasing the best in watches and jewellery.
The UAE constitutes Hong Kong’s largest export market in the Middle East, and is rapidly growing. Major exports to the UAE include garments and fashion accessories, telecom equipment, watches and clocks, office machinery and computer parts, audio-visual equipment and precious and semi-precious stones. UAE’s imports from Hong Kong have carried their growth trend into 2005, with a 2 percent increase in the first seven months of the year. Further, Dubai’s significance as the business and trade hub of the region holds it in good stead as an access point to a Middle East market totaling an estimated 260 million consumers.