The Hong Kong International Jewellery Show 2002, which concluded on March 2 (Saturday), attracted a total of 16,901 buyers from around the globe, representing a 9.8% growth over last year, according to the organiser, the Trade Development Council.

Chinese mainland topped the list of out-of-town visitors with 1,034 buyers, up 37%, followed by US buyers at 903, up 3.2%.

Chairman of the Fair Organising Committee, Leung Sik Wah, said this showed the great potential of the mainland market. “China's economy is growing robustly. Apart from a manufacturing base, it is also a huge domestic market that no one should miss,” said Mr. Leung.

He added that the buyer attendance of the Jewellery Show was good and Paspaley Pearl Auction, which took place concurrently, ended with satisfactory results. Both indicated that jewellery traders had walked out of the shadow brought by the 9.11 events in the US. “Having confidence on the economy upturn in the nearest future, buyers are with stronger purchasing power,” Mr. Leung concluded.

TDC's Senior Exhibitions Manager, Anne Chick, said: “We're pleased that the Jewellery Show has attracted more buyers to come amid the slowing down of economy. The pre-event promotion activities were proved to be effective.”

“With 19 years of development, the Jewellery Show has been evolved as one of the most important trade fairs in the region and accumulated hundreds of buyers with loyalty,” added Miss Chick.

She also noticed that buyer attendances from Asia and Middle East have shown solid growth of 17.7% and 21.6% respectively, demonstrating surging demand of jewellery in emerging market and the new business opportunities opened for Hong Kong jewellery manufacturers and traders," she continued.

Details of buyer attendance at the jewellery show is as follows:


 Overseas buyers - 7,619, a 12% growth over last year;

 Hong Kong buyers - 9,282, a 8% growth over last year;

 Top 10 countries/regions of buyer origin are Chinese mainland, US, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Australia, Singapore and Italy.

The next fair will be held from March 4 to March 7, 2003 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Co-organisers of the show are the Hong Kong Jewellers' and Goldsmiths' Association, the Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association, the Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers' Association, and the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong.

For press enquiries, please contact Beatrice Lam of the TDC's Corporate Communication and Marketing Department at 2584 4049.


Source: Press Release March 2002