Time for business
Make a date in your diary for the prestigious Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2004 – the premier showcase for the timepiece industry and the largest fair of its kind in Asia. Over 15,000 visitors came to see the best of what the 720 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions had on offer last year.
What’s more, the fair is the ideal forum from which to target the Chinese mainland market. There couldn’t be a better time to make inroads into this, as from the start of the year, around 374 Hong Kong-made products, including 11 categories of Hong Kong-made watches and watch parts now enjoy zero-tariff access to the Chinese mainland under the implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between the two sides.
It is also an attractive opportunity for overseas brandname holders or manufacturers to partner with Hong Kong companies or even set up offices in Hong Kong in order to tap into the huge mainland market.

Timely Events
The fair is not just packed with exhibitors – it’s also brimming with many business and social events to help you make the most of your time here among fellow industry participants.
There’s the popular Asian Watch Industry Conference, at which leading industry experts discuss the most up-to-date market trends and insights.
The ever-expanding Brand Name Gallery provides an exclusive setting for luxury and designer watch and clock. This forum has witnessed 45% growth in exhibitors since 2002, with 36 exhibitors showcasing 42 Hong Kong and international labels last year.
Innovative creations are the focus of the 21st Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition, at which the best of local design talent is showcased.
Visitors can also look forward to the mini parades, when models will show collections of the latest trend-setting watch designs.

Matching Requirements
Let the HKTDC perform its matchmaking magic by teaming you up with exhibitors before the fair begins. You can use the fair website’s Business Matching service from two months before the fair starts to make appointments with prospective exhibitors. Find the exhibitors you want to see by name, product category or country/ region. You can also locate their booths on our site map.
Business matching meetings will also be organised at the fairground, bringing international brand names that want to develop watch lines together with potential suppliers. This saves the brand names from having to explain their needs repeatedly – and gives suppliers important direct access to top brands.

World-Class Business Service
The Dragon Lounge offers VIP buyers a relaxing venue in which to enjoy light refreshments, read the newspapers or go online. Cathay Pacific First Class and Business Class passengers can enter the lounge by presenting their boarding passes.
Visitors who bring their Wireless LAN-enabled (IEEE 802.11 compliant) laptop computers or PDAs will be able to check their email and surf the web in the Dragon Lounge and Courtesy Email Centres. Users should keep their laptops/PDAs virus-free and ensure that anti-virus tools are installed.


Source: June-July 04 Issue

www.hkwatchfair.com

(Please Credit europastar.com)