Rowing and Penny Farthing Take Center StageBoosting Hong Kong as a "Centre for Mega International Sports Events"

HONG KONG, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Organized by the Exhibition Group, "Hong Kong Outdoor & Sport Expo cum FITech Expo 2024" ("the Expo") is being held from today until November 24 (Friday to Sunday) at Hall 3DEFG of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Riding the wave of national enthusiasm sparked by Hong Kong's outstanding performance of 2 gold and 2 bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, this year's expo has expanded to two additional exhibition halls, attracting over 100 exhibitors with nearly 300 booths showcasing the latest developments in outdoor sports and related products. The exhibition boasts a comprehensive range of products, including sports equipment, fitness gear, hiking and camping equipment, and sports medical and health technologies. The event features a diverse array of exciting activities, comprising over 20 sports competitions, multiple sports experiences, and outdoor classrooms, catering to sports enthusiasts while providing the industry with a professional platform to explore cutting-edge products in depth.

The 2024 Policy Address emphasized the long-term objectives for sports development, demonstrating commitment to transforming Hong Kong into a "Centre for Mega International Sports Events" through enhanced sports infrastructure and hosting major international sporting events. The Expo directly responds to the sports development policies outlined in the Policy Address. The opening ceremony was attended by Herman Hu, Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Vice-President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Alvin Chiu, Political Assistant to Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Carl Wong, Chairman of Exhibition Group, Shirley Chu, General Manager of Exhibition Group, Cantlie Chan, Director of Fit-Max Centre (HK) Ltd, George Lee, Vice President of Business Development Team, Hong Kong & Macau, Mastercard Worldwide, Kennis Fu, Founder of Perfit, Eric Cheung, Organizer Consultant and CEO of Ericnoah Workshop Limited, Lynn Xiong, Ambassador of Perfit, Wong Kam-po, Renowned cyclists and star-studded athletes.

According to the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics published in August 2024, sports and related activities contributed significantly to Hong Kong's economy in 2022, generating HK$62 billion, which represents 2.2% of the city's GDP and creating 74,000 employment opportunities. This data underscores the gradual formation of a robust sports industry ecosystem. Concurrently, "sports tourism" has emerged as a promising new trend. The government continues to invest strategically in sports infrastructure, with the imminent launch of the Kai Tak Sports Park standing as a pivotal milestone. This world-class venue is set to become a landmark for sports and events, not only providing top-tier facilities for global sporting competitions but also positioning Hong Kong to attract more international-level events and accelerate the city's long-term sports development.

Carl Wong, Chairman of the Exhibition Group, stated: "This year marks several significant milestones for the sports scene in Hong Kong, including our Olympic team's historic performance, the upcoming Kai Tak Sports Park, and the upcoming 15th National Games to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. These moments not only showcase Hong Kong's sports development but also drive demand across the sports industry ecosystem, including sports infrastructure, sports equipment manufacturing and trade, sports tourism, and supporting services. Compared to last year, this year of the expo has expanded by two additional exhibition halls. Our aim is to leverage this platform to provide the industry with opportunities for networking and showcasing the latest products. By hosting over 20 competitions, we seek to enable citizens to experience a diverse range of sports, thereby further propelling the continuous development of Hong Kong's sports industry."

To bring the joy of sports directly to citizens, the expo featured multiple on-site sporting experiences, including fencing, balance bikes, badminton, table tennis, darts, and emerging sports such as pickleball and penny farthing. Among these, pickleball, as a rapidly growing emerging sport, was promoted by the Hong Kong Pickleball Academy (Booth no. 3F-A19-20), which provided professional guidance and interactive experiences to encourage widespread participation in this new sport. The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (Booth no. 3F-C01), participating for the first time, also promoted sailing and rowing sports, offering on-site trial experiences and photo opportunities. Visitors could receive a certificate and a commemorative item, helping the public understand the enjoyment of water sports. The Asia Penny Farthing Association (Booth no. 3E-R15), established in June, is the first high-wheel cycling association in the Asian region. The association displayed penny farthing with their distinctive large front wheels and small rear wheels at the venue, allowing citizens to personally experience the bicycle culture of 19th-century Britain and other European regions and appreciate the unique charm of penny farthing.

The expo attracted numerous international brands making their Hong Kong debut, including GCI, ORCA, OTSO, and RUG. These brands showcased an impressive range of sports and camping equipment, from camping chairs and dining accessories to running vests and outdoor backpacks. Greatway Century Limited (Booth no. 3F-E23) offered extraordinary discounts on sporting and camping goods, featuring brands like Deplacer, Klymit, and Astage, with daily limited offers dropping prices up to 70% off. Additionally, the expo featured participation from several local outdoor brands, including Silva Artis (Booth no. 3G-J70), Autumn Grain Creation Company Limited (Booth no. 3G-H07) and Pomaru Limited (Booth no. 3G-H32). These brands provided outdoor enthusiasts with high-quality and uniquely designed original equipment and products. The Expo supporting local original merchandise, also aim to promote the development of local outdoor brands.

The three-day FITechXpo Forum brought together experts from Hong Kong Baptist University, THEi, and industry professionals to explore the intersection of sports, technology, and business. Forum topics including "Competing for Occupancy Rate: Energizing the Commercial Property Leasing Market through Sports Activities", "ESG in Clubhouse Management", "Optimizing Fitness Facility Opportunities", "Electronic Sports Games Bring Breakthrough Changes to Community Fitness Training Activities", "The Application Potential and Future Prospects of Artificial Intelligence in Sports", "Application of Technology to Game Tactical Analysis and Elite Training" and "The Role of Wearable Devices in Personalized Sports Medicine". LES MILLS offered on-site free trial classes including "DANCE", "BODYATTACK", and "BODYCOMBAT", allowing citizens to experience the latest fitness trends.

During the expo, a special camping vehicle display area and outdoor classroom were established, inviting professional mountain skills coaches and physiotherapists to share expert knowledge and techniques in outdoor sports and sports therapy. The lecture topics included comprehensive beginner camping experiences, mountain rope skill workshops, hiking and camping backpack classes, and effective prevention of hiking-related knee pain, offering guidance ranging from basic skills to in-depth knowledge. Oxfam also held a sharing session on the main stage titled " Oxfam Trailwalker: Walking 100km Against Poverty", featuring Dr Michael Wong, Director of Fundraising and Communications in Oxfam Hong Kong, Joseph Yeung, Elite Trailwalker, and Abraham Kok, former triathlon athlete, who shared their experiences navigating the muddy trails of their recent trek.

To Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Monchhichi, multiple photo spots and a pop-up store have been set up during the Expo. In addition, the first 300 ticket buyers at the Expo can receive a free sport lucky bag, which containing sun protection items, wet wipes, electrolyte drink powder, and cooling neck rings valued at over HK$200. Customers who spend HK$250 with a single receipt using a Mastercard® at designated booths in the exhibition venue will have one chance to enter a lucky draw, with the opportunity to win round-trip tickets for two to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan (China), totaling approximately HK$110,000. This event only recognizes and accepts printed invoices. Customers can exchange lucky draw cards at the designated exchange counter, with instant scratch and reveal of lucky draw results.

Hong Kong Outdoor & Sport Expo cum FITech Expo 2024

About Exhibition Group

Exhibition Group Limited is one of Hong Kong's leading exhibition planning companies.

Established in 2003 by a core group of innovative, experienced and professional exhibition professionals, it is a leading event management company specialising in the planning and management of world-class public exhibitions, conventions and trade shows across a wide range of industries. With many years of experience in the industry, we are renowned in the exhibition industry for our commitment to the development of the exhibition and marketing business.

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