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| Number of trade fair attendees meets expectation despite SARS outbreak |
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Despite the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), over 400 exhibitors and 3,000 buyers from 14 countries and regions came to attend the joint session of Hong Kong Houseware Fair and the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, which opened Monday and will last till May 1.
The organizer, the Trade Development Council (TDC), has taken a series of stringent on-site health protection measures.
A health post was set up at the venue, staffed with qualified medical personnel, where thermometers, masks and gloves are available.
An advanced infrared thermal detection device, which was described as almost 100 percent in accuracy, was also stalled to take body temperature of all visitors at the fair.
Officials from the health department affirmed that the "visiting this fair will not pose additional risks," given these and other necessary precautionary measures.
Seemingly assured by the protection, the businessmen were preoccupied with products and contracts.
Piet Kotze, a sales manager from South Africa, whose company has a booth displaying leather products, said his company has taken part in Hong Kong's trade fair every year and comes as planned this year despite the virus.
"Actually the fair suffers a lot because of the SARS, and it's more difficult to find more buyers, and I decide to come for another fair this July and conditions then will be better, I hope," said Kotze.
Bernard Repond from Switzerland said he has traveled around in China for nearly a month, looking for business chances.
"I came here from Guangzhou, where I attended the imports-exports trade fair," Repond said.
"Maybe I can't find many contracts this time but I can find business ideas for the next year, which is also very important," Repond said.
Talking about SARS, Repond said he knows it's risky to travel around at such a time.
"But compared with AIDS, SARS may not be so dangerous and what we should do now is try our best to prevent it," he said.
Carlos A. Martinez, a buyer from Argentina, told Xinhua that all the people coming understand it is theoretically risk to come Hongkong right now, "but there are risks everywhere all the times, can we just stay at home without doing business?"
Like Repond, Martinez also visited many mainland cities before coming to Hong Kong.
"I tried to make as many deals as possible, and it's worthy to go outside at the moment, because you could find more chances when some people quit," he said.
Chairman of the Fair's Organizing Committee Jeffrey Lam said it is important for the exhibitors to join the fair as it links to global buying and production cycles. Other cities in Asia are proceeding with related fairs this month.
"The show is also important to the business plans of Hong Kong's small and medium-sized enterprises and overseas buyers," Lam said.
TDC's director of exhibitions Benjamin Chau said the aim of the fair is to bring more buyers to the show and to facilitate them to do business.
"We have made every effort, and we're glad to see exhibitors and buyers come to do business without much worries," he said.
"We hope the special discount packages we have provided will not only attract more buyers to our April fair, but also help to bring business to Hong Kong's business travel and retail sectors," Chau added.
Regarding the numbers of attendees, TDC said their expectations were met. Lam told reporters that he believe the SARS is unlikely to have a deep impact on Hong Kong exports. The houseware, gift and premium industry stands to benefit from its position in the world market, with no alternative source available in the mid-to-short term.
"There are no signs at all of trade diversion from Hong Kong and the pearl river delta of the mainland to other sources, thanks to the well-established production cluster for light consumer goods in the region. Hong Kong remains the souring center of the world in Asia," he said.
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