UNWTO recently projects the world’s tourism industry this year will grow by 3 to 4%! In the first two months this year, outbound of China and Hong Kong grew by double digits! China ’s tourism institute forecasts outbound of the country this year will grow by 11% to 54 million.  

The tourism industry, particularly China including Hong Kong , is again spearheading recovery though various economies are yet to recover fully from the financial crisis. ITE & MICE is also seeing progress on various fronts such as new official and theme pavilions, and expansions by past exhibitors. 

New official pavilions are expected this year from Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Confirmations or reservations are received from tourism authorities of Croatia, Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam , Italy , Israel , Prague , and Russia . Indeed, Czech will have two pavilions this year, respectively by the national tourism authority and Prague . A few more new official pavilions, which are still in discussion with us, may realize and the improving market sentiments help!  

The largest expansion this year will go to the Taiwan pavilion by the Taiwan Visitors Association which nearly doubles its size to 200 sqm. Present also is another Taiwan pavilion on Medical Tourism, which is organized by the Taipei World Trade Center . These two pavilions will bring the total size of participation from Taiwan this year to nearly 300 sqm, and puts Taiwan to be among our five largest pavilions which also include China , Japan , Macau and Hong Kong .  

In recent years, ITE & MICE expanded to five halls from two in four years! A key factor has been the substantial expansions by past exhibitors. Despite the financial crisis, official pavilions such as those from Hong Kong , Japan , Philippines , South Korea , Thailand , Turkey and Yemen have taken very significant expansions in ITE & MICE last year. All of them will at least be maintaining their scale and some may even continue expanding this year.  

The new theme pavilion this year, which is more related to eco-tourism, is that on Geo-parks in Hong Kong . These world class geo-formations are located in several districts of Hong Kong and under the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) who all join force to stage the Pavilion. Understandably, some local cultures and tourism facilities will also be included. Hong Kong too will have two pavilions, and the other one by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.   

ITE & MICE has in recent years successfully introduced several popular travel themes, which include MICE, Cruise, Wellness and Medical Tourism. While there are designated areas, we welcome also official pavilions to have one big stand including different themes, and related exhibitors to stay with their official pavilions. There were already over 100 exhibitors targeting the MICE market , and over 30 wellness and medical tourism exhibitors in our Expo last year. Roughly, they accounted for 30% of all our exhibitors. While they leverage on each others and there are great synergies, these themes will have their own unique visitor promotions and MICE in particular its own invitations to corporate visitors and the event industry. 

The coming ITE & MICE will be held from June 10 to 13, 2010 at Halls 1A to 1E in the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center . With the venue completed its expansion, the five halls of ITE & MICE have all been located in the same floor since last year, which greatly facilitates all participants.