Hong Kong

Located at the heart of the world’s fastest growing economy, Hong Kong, has been known as Asia’s premier business and MICE destination. Officially the special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas of the world. But the close proximity to Mainland China helps in attracting business professionals and international organisations.

In 2013, Hong Kong exceeded 54 million international tourists, displaying a growth of 11.7 per cent. And in the first half of 2013, there were around 7,20,000 overnight MICE visitor arrivals to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is also one of the top shopping destinations of Asia Pacific. This shoppers’ paradise has premier spots like the Causeway Bay, Admiralty, Central and SoHo District and Sheung Wan on the Hong Kong Island.

In the heart of Hong Kong lies the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Opened in 1988, it presently provides 66,000 sq m of purpose-built exhibition space, 20,000 sq m of multi-functional venues and 5,500 sq m of event support space.

Asia’s only column-free, ground level exhibition, convention and events venue, the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) has a 13,500-seat arena and a 5,000-seat Asia World-Summit theatre, to accommodate virtually any event.

The Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre (KITEC), not only has an exhibition centre, but also a shopping mall and Star Hall, a performance venue. The auditorium has 702 tiered seats and a conference centre with 17 meeting rooms while the Star Hall can accommodate 3,600 people.

Hong Kong is home to some of the world’s biggest trade fairs, offering access to suppliers in Mainland China and Asia’s busiest manufacturing hubs, as well as showcasing the latest international technology and know-how to the Asian markets.

One of Hong Kong’s advantages for being a major convention destination is having a wide selection of venues and hotels. L’hotel Nina et Convention Centre, the biggest hotel of Hong Kong, boasts of 1,608 deluxe rooms with an average size of 36 sq m. Apart from this there are over 200 hotels in Hong Kong like the Regal Airport Hotel, Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel, Langham Place Hotel. By the end of 2014 Hong Kong is expected to have 249 hotels with about 73,385 rooms.

Places of interest

Hong Kong has accomplished to become one the most adventurous and tourism friendly cities for an international traveller. Ocean Park, a marine-themed park featuring more than 80 attractions, is the first-ever Asian attraction to be recognised as the best park in the world. The Hong Kong Disneyland (HKD), with the opening of three new themed areas – ‘Toy Story Land’, ‘Grizzly Gulch’ and ‘Mystic Point’ between 2011 and 2013, has added more than 30 new attractions, entertainment and interactive experiences, bringing the total number of attractions in HKD to over 100. The Hong Kong Wetland Park, a conservation, education and tourism facility, consists of a 60-hectare outdoor wetland reserve and a 10,000 sq m of visitor centre with three exhibition galleries.

The Ngong Ping 360, a crystal cabin cable car ride comprising a 5.7 km cable way ride lasting about 25 minutes, and a Buddhist themed village, offers panoramic views of the beautiful landscape of Lantau Island. Visitors can also see the new Pai Lau, Bodhi Path, Di Tan and the Chinese landscaped garden in the 1.5-hectare Ngong Ping Piazza as well as the tourist attractions nearby, such as the Po Lin Monastery, Giant Buddha, and Wisdom Path. In addition, visitors can either watch an opera or explore other parts of Lantau, including Tai O Fish Village and the beaches on Southern Lantau.