Third Business Travel Expo Hong Kong to be Biggest Yet

The third annual Business Travel Expo Hong Kong will take place on March 30-31, 2004. Regarded as one of the region’s main platforms for the travel industry to meet directly with buyers and arrangers of business travel in Southeast Asia, this year’s expo is attracting a strong line up of loyal and new exhibitors. Already, over 40 exhibitors are confirmed. 

The show is free to attend for all visitors who pre-register for the event, and enables them to meet face to face with hotels, airlines, travel management companies and other suppliers in a “one stop shop” environment.

Despite the onset of SARS, last year’s event attracted 1,220 top buyers of business travel from around the region, and this year’s event is expected to see a marked increase of buyers as the economic environment in Hong Kong and the region improves.

“We have also made a significant increase in our marketing budget” said Paul Robin, Director of Business Travel Expo. “This allows us lots of new promotional initiatives such as telemarketing in the fast developing Pearl River Delta region to identify and invite the travel managers of leading companies in South China.”

“We are also working closely with leading business associations in Hong Kong such as the Hong Kong, British, Australian and American chambers, as well as professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply – Hong Kong Branch and the National Business Travel Association (NBTA),” said Robin. “We have also enlisted the support of Dow Jones as our regional partners to help promote the Expo to a regional audience,” said Robin.

This year’s Business Travel Expo will be supported by partners such as official airline Cathay Pacific Airways, KCRC – which will be promoting its new Hong Kong-Guangzhou “through train”, and hotel partner Langham Hotels International – which is promoting its newly rebranded luxury Langham Hotels in Hong Kong, Boston and London.

Other returning exhibitors include official travel management partner American International Travel – one of the show’s strongest supporters which has trebled the size of its stand since 2001, SRS-WORLDHOTELS, Marriott, OAG, and Mastercard International, Pan Pacific, The Leading Hotels of the World, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Westminster Travel and InterContinental Hotels.

New clients to come on board include China Southern Airlines, China Airlines – which will be promoting its new improved safety programme, Diner's Club International (HK) Ltd, Malaysian Airlines and Tourism Malaysia, Le Meridien and Air Plus International.

This year’s show will be offering some new attractions for visitors such a new “online appointments” service for pre-registered visitors which will allow visitors to pre book meeting with exhibitors online.

As in the previous two years, the expo will also be offering a strong educational programme, with a series of seminars aimed at informing travel arrangers how to make the most of their travel dollars. Seminars are free to pre-registered delegates of the Expo, or HK$300 each for non pre-registered guests.