(Q3): Convention and exhibition facilities
MR CHAN CHUN-YING:
Thank you, President. As mentioned by Dr Hoey Simon LEE just now, the consultancy report stated that 132 000 sq m of additional C&E space would be needed by 2028. However, I notice that in the year following the release of the report, i.e. 2016, the construction of the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center near Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport commenced, and the first phase was completed in 2019, providing an indoor exhibition space of 400 000 sq m. Last year, a total of 195 exhibitions of various types were held in Shenzhen. On average, one exhibition was held every two days, and the total exhibition area reached 10.32 million sq m, representing an increase of 237%. May I ask whether the authorities have examined the room for cooperation in the hosting of exhibitions in the light of the rapid growth of the C&E industry and C&E space in the neighbouring cities; and whether they have reviewed the future demand of the C&E industry in Hong Kong in the light of this trend? Thank you.
SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Thank you, President. I thank the Member for his supplementary question. Let me give a brief reply. We have paid attention to the development of the tourism and C&E industries in the neighbouring economies as well as Mainland cities. We have also noticed that they have indeed provided a lot of physical space for C&E facilities in recent years. In this connection, as I said just now, we will put in place additional measures to attract investments and C&Es to Hong Kong. For example, as Members may be aware, we have put in place a $1.4 billion Incentive Scheme for Recurrent Exhibitions to provide incentives to potential C&E organizers and hosts. For international exhibitions, we will offer a 100% waiver of venue rental, and for local exhibitions, we will offer a 50% waiver of venue rental. This is a very big incentive for some exhibitors.
In addition, I would like to raise one point, that is, the hosting of C&Es in Hong Kong can in fact attract many overseas buyers to Hong Kong. Members may have noted from the figures that we have recovered to more than 80% of the pre-pandemic level in this respect. As exhibitors from the Mainland or other places attach great importance to the number of buyers, the Government will make proper efforts in business matching apart from introducing some financial incentives, with a view to attracting more relevant buyers, investors, exhibitors and organizers to Hong Kong.