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A fusion of Indian and Chinese dance and rhythms featured at the inaugural Lifestyle Expo in Mumbai Gala Dinner, attended by more than 350 guests from India's governmental and business circles
Thousands of Indian buyers took in Lifestyle Expo in Mumbai, which debuted in the country’s financial capital 28 October and continued through 30 October. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), with Guangdong’s Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the three-day trade show featured more than 160 suppliers across various product segments, including consumer electronics and electrical appliances, gifts and premiums, household products and fashion and fashion accessories.
Technology offerings were especially welcomed at the fair. “It was our first time exhibiting in India, and a lot of Indian buyers like our products, which are new to the market,” said Raymond Chen of the Guangzhou Shenglong Electronic Technology Co Ltd. “This is a good market for us because of the large population here and their interest in new technology.”
Fashion Parade
Officiating at the opening ceremony of Lifestyle Expo in Mumbai are (left to right): Fred Lam, HKTDC Executive Director; Rajendra Jawaharlal Darda, Minister of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai; Donald Tsang, Hong Kong Chief Executive; Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong Province; Niu Qingbao, China Consul-General in Mumbai; and Tang Hao, Secretary-General, Guangdong Province
At a gala dinner kicking off the event, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the expo served as a showcase for the creative and innovative products Hong Kong produces.
“I’m confident that Lifestyle Expo in Mumbai will open even more opportunities for trade and business cooperation between us,” Mr Tsang said. “This expo is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs here in Mumbai to network with their counterparts from Hong Kong and take advantage of the exciting developments.”
Fashion parades showcasing outfits from top Chinese fashion designers, including Henry Lau and Barney Cheng from Hong Kong and Lin Zihan and Yang Liu from Guangdong, added a touch of glamour to the event.
“The product mix presented by our 160-strong exhibitors may vary widely, but what unites them is a clear commitment to smart design, quality and good value,” said HKTDC Executive Director Fred Lam.
Buyers at the fair agreed. “I came to this expo to find new product lines to tap into the growing Indian domestic market,” said Jitendra Surana of Tarang International. “I have found a wide variety of fashion watches here, and have already placed an order. I’m sure it will be the start of more business deals in the future.”
A fashion parade featured the work of leading Chinese fashion designers, including this creation by Hong Kong’s Barney Cheng
Indeed, many Indian buyers, some of whom export to markets outside India, are now keen to cater to the booming domestic market after seeing the quality and variety of new products on offer at the expo, which they said would sell very well in the lucrative Indian market.
“It’s been a good place to get new business ideas for future growth,” said Bharat Kajiwala of Bharat Industries.
Promising Poland
Quality Hong Kong products were also featured recently at the latest HKTDC European roadshow, held in Warsaw, Poland. The second edition of Lifestyle Expo in Warsaw, 21-23 September, saw a 20 per cent increase in attendance from last year’s debut event. More than 3,500 visitors took in the three-day show, held at the Warsaw International Expocentre EXPO XXI.
The show featured the latest products by 138 companies from Hong Kong and 81 from Guangdong. The response, according to exhibitors, was good, with one Hong Kong gifts and premiums company winning an order worth about €100,000.
Another company, Ming Fu Hong International Ltd, which manufactures automobile audio systems and products, said they received numerous enquiries on distributing or importing their products. “It’s different from the China market, in that we cannot conduct direct sales,” said Managing Director Lacy Wong. “We must use importers to enter this market. Consumers also want this for after-sales service. So for this fair, it’s more important for us to meet distributors and exporters rather than individual buyers,” she said.
The Warsaw expo also attracted buyers in the wider Central and Eastern European region. About 16 per cent of visitors were from such countries as Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Latvia. “It’s convenient,” Ms Wong said. “In Poland, we can meet buyers from different places instead of having to go to Hungary or the Czech Republic to exhibit.”
With the Indian government pushing for more environmentally friendly technology, solar energy products were also in hot demand. “This expo has been great for my business,” said Manoj Kothari of Solar Energy System.
“I could meet with quality suppliers of solar LEDs, solar invertors and panels, all under one roof, saving me the trouble of travelling all the way to China. There is a large demand for solar products in India, and such fairs are a good platform to develop my business.”
“Many people have the perception that cheap and poor-quality products come from China. But in fact, they have excellent technology and high-quality products,” Mr Kothari added.
With six buying missions organised from neighbouring states, the level of interest generated by the event left a strong impression on participating exhibitors. “It’s been a good fair,” said Dr Charles Chan, Managing Director of Tunbow Holdings. “We had Indian customers coming to buy not only for the local market, but also for export to other emerging markets.”
Trade Ties
Indian buyers were impressed by the range of new products featured at the lifestyle product show
India is Hong Kong’s seventh-largest trading partner. In the first eight months of 2010, total trade between the two economies grew nearly 43 per cent, compared to the same period last year. In 2009, more than eight per cent of total trade between India and the mainland was routed through Hong Kong. The number of Indian buyers to HKTDC fairs in Hong Kong in the first eight months of this year was also up nearly 80 per cent, year on year.
“The expo has benefited both suppliers from Hong Kong and Guangdong, as well as Indian companies looking for new products,” said the HKTDC’s Mr Lam. “We certainly consider India a very strong market for us, and we intend to come back next year.”
