Mainland visitor turnout at HK exhibitions up 21%

Participation by exhibiting companies grew by 13.9%, reaching nearly 52,000.

Visitor numbers from Mainland China to Hong Kong’s trade and consumer exhibitions rose 21% YoY in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 9.2%, according to the latest survey released by the Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA).

In total, Hong Kong hosted 121 large-scale exhibitions during the year, with 80 classified as “Trade” or “Trade and Consumer” events — a 9.6% increase over 2023.

Participation by exhibiting companies grew by 13.9%, reaching nearly 52,000, whilst total visitor attendance climbed 4.5% to over 1.46 million.

However, the recovery remains uneven. Whilst the number of events has returned to pre-COVID levels, the industry is still operating below its 2019 benchmarks for engagement.

Exhibiting company numbers are down 25.1%, and visitor figures remain 21.3% below pre-pandemic highs.

Another point of concern is that the total exhibition space rented decreased by 6.8% to approximately 830,000 square metres, indicating potential caution in spending amongst companies amid global economic uncertainty.