The much-awaited 'Style Hong Kong in Dubai' exhibition organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) was officially opened today (Sunday, December 17, 2006), by Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director General of the Department of Information, Dubai and Dr. William Fung, Council Member of the HKTDC.
The third edition of the show, which runs till December 20th at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center, showcases Hong Kong as a prime supplier of high-quality lifestyle products to buyers and visitors from the Middle East.
'Style Hong Kong in Dubai', which runs concurrently with the annual International Autumn Trade Fair (IATF06), has brought together over 230 exhibitors who are displaying a variety of high quality lifestyle products reflecting Hong Kong's cosmopolitan tastes in seven product zones including electronics and IT products, gifts and premiums, home/interior furnishings & hotel supplies, household products, jewellery and watches & fashion accessories. For the first time, the fair also features a special zone on construction materials.
Jeff Ambjorn, Middle East Director of the HKTDC said, "Every edition of this exhibition has offered something new and exciting for buyers and visitors, and this year too there is a diverse range of high quality products that will appeal to the cosmopolitan population of the UAE. Hong Kong and the UAE share a long history of bilateral trade ties, which has been further strengthened in the recent years. Dubai being the business hub of the Middle East is central to our trade expansion strategy for the region, and exhibitions such as 'Style Hong Kong in Dubai' will continue to remain an important part of our initiatives in this region."
In the first eight months of 2006, bilateral trade between the UAE and Hong Kong was to the tune of US$ 2.26 billion. Hong Kong's exports to the UAE in this period amounted to US$1,227 million, up 4 per cent from the previous year's corresponding period and imports stood at US$ 949 million, up 8 per cent.
'Style Hong Kong in Dubai' reaches out to a target audience of 21,000 potential importers, re-exporters and traders, in addition to the more than 15,000 buyers drawn from the UAE, GCC, Egypt, Levant and the Indian Subcontinent, who are expected at the International Autumn Trade Fair.
This year 'Style Hong Kong in Dubai' also offers visitors free one-on-one business consultations pertaining to investment procedures, business law, tax issues, domestic sales, customs declaration, product inspection, trade marks and patents and the advantages that Hong Kong offers to companies in the Middle East who are interested in doing business with China.
