Toys & Games, Baby Products and Stationery Fairs Open

	Large number of buyers visit the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and Hong Kong International Stationery Fair, which opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Together, the four-day fairs welcome close to 2,800 exhibitors, showcasing an interesting line-up of innovative and quality products
	Guest of honour Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government delivers a speech at the joint opening ceremony
	Front row, from left: CK Yeung, Chairman, HKTDC Toys Advisory Committee; Margaret Fong, Executive Director, HKTDC; Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government; Li Jiangang, Deputy Director-General, Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China; and Tommy Li, Chairman, HKTDC Design, Marketing and Licensing Services Advisory Committee at the joint opening ceremony for HKTDC Toys & Games Fair, HKTDC Baby Products Fair and Hong Kong International Licensing Show
	Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam (left) and HKTDC Council Member Jeffrey Lam (centre) tour the fairground
	CEO of Hape International Peter Handstein (left) shows the latest “Little Prince” collection to Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam (centre) and HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (right)

11 January 2016 - HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Together, the four-day fairs welcome close to 2,800 exhibitors, showcasing an interesting line-up of innovative and quality products.  

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has organised 116 buying missions from 65 countries and regions, inviting close to 9,000 prominent buyers from around the world to visit and source at the fair.  These include department stores, specialty stores and retail chains  such as Toys”R”Us, Hamleys and Tomy Company Ltd as well as e-tailers like JD.com, Yihaodian, Leyou Babies to Kids from the Chinese mainland and such local enterprises like Mannings, Ocean Park and Page One. Together they offer a diverse range of opportunities for exhibitors.  

HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau said business for toys, baby products and stationery this year is expected to be steady. “Buyers are prudent, yet, they show strong interest in licensed products of popular TV programmes, cartoons and movies. Educational toys and electronics toys targeting youngsters are also well received among buyers. In addition, the Chinese mainland’s emerging middle class and the introduction of the Two-child Policy will drive demand for toys, baby products and stationery items on the mainland,” said Mr Chau.

Mr Chau said the toys industry has been undergoing upgrading and transformation in recent years to expand business through design, branding, licensing and marketing campaigns that add value to products. “The Toys & Games Fair includes an extensive array of products, ranging from traditional favourites to high-tech toys and games. Manufacturers are allocating more resources to R&D, applying magnetic levitation, holographic projection and augmented reality technology and more to give classic toys a face lift,” he said.

Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair

The 42^nd edition of the HKTDC Toys & Games Fair features a record number of over 2,030 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions with new exhibiting countries and regions including Greece, Canada and the Philippines, making it the largest event of its kind in Asia, and the second largest in the world. The fair welcomes the new United Kingdom pavilion this year alongside returning group pavilions from the mainland, Indonesia, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and World of Toys. Different themed zones are set up, enabling buyers to source products easily at the fair. More than 190 premium brands are featured at the Brand Name Gallery. These include 4M, Eastcolight, Bburago and Vtech. Other highlights include the Smart-Tech Toys, Kidult World and World of Sports zones. 

A wide range of creative high-quality toys and games is showcased at the fair, including 1:18 die-cast replicas of Ferrari FORMULA ONE (booth no: 1D-E14), the world’s first colour picking stylus-Mozbii (1CON-071) and app-connected 4D Puzzle showing the city’s history data (1E-A25). In addition, Aerial & Ground Imaging Solution - Typhoon Q500 4K (1D-A33) is on show including demonstrations at the Flying Object Demo Area at Hall 1A. 

A series of networking events and seminars is arranged to connect buyers with exhibitors and provide updates on market trends.  This year’s Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference (13 January) adopts the theme of “Playing to Win: Toys and Games of the Future”, where industry experts will discuss market trends, technology application in toys, expanding toy business through licensing opportunities and trends in online retail of baby and children’s toys. The seminar on “Market Potential for Virtual Toys & Games” (12 January) will shed light on smart toys with app-connected features and AR (augmented reality) technologies.

Another popular event is the Hong Kong Toys and Baby Products Awards 2016, honouring outstanding products with exquisite design, innovation and quality. Today’s Awards Presentation Ceremony is followed by a product demo session tomorrow. Winning and selected products will be on display at Hall 3FG concourse during fair period, promoting innovative designs to global buyers. 

Hong Kong Baby Products Fair

The seventh HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair hosts a record of about 520 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions. It welcomes newcomers from Canada, Lithuania, Malta and Russia. Also new to the fair is the Korean pavilion. Meanwhile, Brand Name Gallery features 45 brands, including Biba, Goodbaby, Joovy, and Inglesina. Other special zones include Disposable Baby Products, Baby Learning Toys, Baby Food and Healthcare Products, Baby Bedding Items and Furniture, Baby Fashion Avenue, Baby Gift Sets and Souvenirs, Baby Skincare and Bath Products, Baby Toys and Activity, Feeding, Nursery and Maternity Products, Nursery Electrical Appliances and Strollers and Gear.

The fair showcases a comprehensive range of interesting products, which includes a temperature-sensitive spoon for babies (3F-H16), baby monitor with touch screen (3F-D01), backpack stroller (3F-E30), ultra-light baby carrier (3F-F29), natural laundry detergent (3F-D06), classic royal strollers (3F-G24) and more.  

Today’s seminar on “Latest Consumer Trends of Baby Products” and tomorrow’s buyer forum on “Business Opportunities in the Chinese Mainland Market” help participants can keep pace with latest industry trends and new opportunities.

Hong Kong International Stationery Fair

The 16^th Hong Kong International Stationery Fair gathers more than 230 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions, with new exhibiting countries and regions from British Virgin Islands, France, Japan, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have set up group pavilions at the fair. Five product zones, namely DIY Supplies, Pen & Paper, Gift Stationery, Smart Office, and Kids & School have been set up to facilitate effective sourcing.

Various innovative items are on display, such as Angel Clay - soft clay set which develops children’s sculpting skills (5B- D06), eco-friendly Fueki Nori starch paste glue (5B-D27), Dr Kong’s spine-pressure-free school bag (5B-D16), scratch nightscape (5B-E13) and shoe-shaped pencil case (5B-D20).

A series of forums and seminars is arranged during the fair, including the sharing session on business opportunities in the Taiwan market and the seminar entitled “Push your Business Forward - Catch the Latest Design Trends and E-Business Strategies”. The best of innovative and green products are displayed at Hall 5B entrance under the theme of “Slick and Smart”.

The HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair are organised by the HKTDC while the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair is jointly-organised by the HKTDC and  Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. The shows are being held concurrently with the HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show, providing abundant trading opportunities and good potential for cross-over business activities among participants from various sectors.

During the fair period, the HKTDC’s Design Gallery shop at the HKCEC is organising an exhibition of classic toys entitled “Salute to Hong Kong Toys”.The exhibition is a nostalgic look at the treasure trove of products throughout Hong Kong’s toy manufacturing history. It showcases 100 classic “made in Hong Kong” toys, which are provided by toys manufacturer LT Lam and toy collector Oxide Pang, who is also a film director.  In addition, Design Gallery displays a variety of innovative toys, baby products and licensing items dedicated to promoting the excellence of “100% Hong Kong designs” to both buyers and consumers. Buyers can connect with the suppliers through Design Gallery’s trade enquiry service.

Officiating at the opening ceremony this morning were Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Li Jiangang, Deputy Director General, Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China; Margaret Fong, Executive Director, HKTDC; CK Yeung, Chairman, HKTDC Toys Advisory Committee; and Tommy Li, Chairman, HKTDC Design, Marketing and Licensing Services Advisory Committee.

Media Enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:

Joe Kainz     Tel: (852) 2584 4216           Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

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About the HKTDC

A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.