Introduction: It is almost showtime for the second China International Consumer Products Expo (Hainan Expo) to be held in Haikou, Hainan from 26 to 30 July, following the blockbuster success of the inaugural Hainan Expo in 2021.
By any standards, the first Hainan Expo in 2021 was a remarkable success, attracting over 240,000 visitors and 1,500+ exhibitors as well as providing priceless exposure for Hainan’s ambitious Free Trade Port Programme. But show organiser, the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development (Hainan IEDB), is determined that year’s event will be bigger (up from 80,000sq m to 100,000sq m) and better.
Hainan IEDB Global Media Officer & Senior Supervisor Ruslan Tulenov says that 80% of the international exhibitors are repeat customers from 2021 while the number of Chinese enterprises has grown.
The event, he says offers an important opportunity for international exhibitors and visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Hainan’s Free Trade Port policy. Simultaneously, the Expo will create many business opportunities for Chinese and international companies, Tulenov adds.
“We think we have done a good job of inviting businesses and executives from all over China,” he tells The Moodie Davitt Report before the show. “In addition to various types of professional buyers, we have also invited a large number of high net worth individuals, people with strong spending power, to shop on site.”
Hainan IEDB’s impressive publicity machine has also been in overdrive to maximise exposure not just for the exhibitors but also for Hainan and its Free Trade Port programme. In that sense the Expo plays a wider role than a typical trade exhibition and is seen by the Hainan government as a crucial platform to promote the island’s transformation into an international tourism consumption centre and a locomotive of economic growth.
“We have done a lot of publicity,” says Tulenov. “Issues such as consumer consumption, China’s dual circulation policy, and the Free Trade Port programme are all key topics of great importance so to get full exposure for them is an important way to reaffirm the value of the Hainan Expo.
International companies and brands to return this year include Galeries Lafayette, L’Oréal Group, Edrington, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, Pernod Ricard China, Diageo, Rémy Cointreau, Richemont Group, Swatch Group, Burberry, Qeelin, Tesla, Dell, NBA, Aussie, Shiseido, Fancl, and domestic brands such as Chow Tai Fook and Pien Tze Huang.
Among them, many top brands have expanded their presence. French beauty giant L’Oréal, for example, has increased its space from 500sq m to 625sq m and added Prada and other fragrance brands. Similarly, Richemont Group has boosted its space from 300sq m to 500sq m and added Piaget, Montblanc and other brands while Swatch Group’s presence is up from 300sq m to 500sq m.
They are joined by big-name companies such as Estée Lauder, Kose, TUMI, Otsuka from Japan in the healthcare industry, DAIWA from Japan in the sea fishing industry, and Ferrari and Maserati from the high-end sports car world.
Returning visitors also include country-specific regional pavilions organised by official organisations from France, Switzerland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Japan, Korea, Thailand and others. The Japan Pavilion is +50% larger at 900sq m. Including independent Japanese exhibitors, Japan’s participation is up from 2,000sq m last year to 3,300sq m this year.
The Hong Kong and Macau pavilions had only a few dozen square metres of booth space in 2021, but this year they are up to 500sq m and 400sq m, respectively. “This fully illustrates the recognition and confidence of exhibitors in the Hainan Expo,” says Tulenov.
Due to the large number of international and domestic visitors, the spillover effect for the island is significant, says Tulenov. “It can be said that the Hainan Expo has become a ‘beautiful business card’ of Hainan’s Free Trade Port, inviting all parties to invest in Hainan,” he says.
Focus on quality
Tulenov says that this year’s Expo will not only be bigger but also qualitatively improved. Standard templated booths are out, resulting in a much- improved overall standard of exhibition. Hainan IEDB has also advocated the use of green materials to build booths, something that has been enthusiastically echoed by exhibitors.
New product launches will be another highlight. The 2021 Expo featured over 550 new products and in line with Hainan Governor Feng Fei’s instructions to “gradually build Hainan Free Trade Port into a consumer fashion showcase”, Hainan IEDB has been working hard with exhibitors to initiate more global debuts.
Hainan IEDB is cooperating with the highly influential People’s Daily digital communications team to create an area dedicated to showcasing and reporting new product launches through live broadcasts. A total of 28 exhibitors will participate in this platform including L’Oréal, Shiseido Group, Baume & Mercier, Tumi, The Macallan, Glenfiddich, and The Dalmore.
The 2022 Hainan Expo will promote the Hainan Free Trade Port’s advantages in terms of policy, ecological environment, business environment, and unique location advantages, says Tulenov. This in turn will attract more high-quality businesses to invest in Hainan and to promote the development of Hainan Free Trade Port to a higher level.
Hainan’s Free Trade Port policy, which features zero tariffs, low tax rates, a simple tax system and more business freedom, can create lower costs and more business opportunities for enterprises, he concludes. “Hainan is at the intersection of two of the world’s fastest-growing markets – Mainland China and Southeast Asia – making it an important strategic pivot point in the Asia Pacific region and providing strong support for global development.
“China is willing to take advantage of Hainan’s Free Trade Port to comprehensively deepen reforms and test the highest level of open policies. We wish to deepen bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation, and to work together with all parties to create a better future for humanity,” Tulenov concludes. “The Hainan Expo itself is China’s open cooperation platform for the world.”
Coming soonThe Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the launch this week of 穆迪达维特中国旅游零售报告 – The Moodie Davitt China Travel Retail Report, a digital magazine dedicated to our industry’s hottest market. The new digital title will be published in Mandarin and English four times a year across multiple platforms.  This exciting new digital magazine from the world’s leading travel retail publisher will focus on all aspects of China’s travel-related ecosystem, including:
To subscribe, please email Kristyn Branisel at Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com For advertising and sponsorship enquiries please contact Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com or Sarah@MoodieDavittReport.com. For all editorial enquiries please contact Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com |
