Hong Kong International Wines & Spirits Fair kicks off next week

Hong Kong will welcome back wine and spirits trade professionals next week for the 15th edition of the Wines & Spirits Fair, with more than 500 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions on display.

The HKTDC Hong Kong International Wines & Spirits Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The 15th edition of the Fair will assemble more than 500 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions.

The first two days will welcome industry professionals and buyers, before the exhibition opens its doors to public visitors with tickets on Sunday 5 November, offering wine lovers an opportunity to sample a broad selection of wines from around the world.

The HKTDC’s deputy executive director Sophia Chong said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit the wine industry hard, but the market was full of potential and was expected to grow continuously.

“Hong Kong is a key connector to the wine and liquor market in Asia. Given the growth in consumption power in Mainland China, many wine merchants are now making inroads into this sizeable market. A lot of international wine companies have set up operations in Hong Kong to seize business opportunities in Mainland China and around the world. As an elite global trading platform for fine wine, the Wine & Spirits Fair brings tremendous opportunities to local, mainland and international wine corporations,” she said.

Worldwide revenue in the wine market amounts to US$333.00bn in 2023, according to data platform Statista. The market is expected to grow annually by 5.52% (CAGR 2023-2027). Hong Kong’s market growth is expected to outstrip that, with a CAGR 2023-2027 of 6.42% annually. Revenue in the market amounts to US$660.70m in 2023, and it is expected to show a volume growth of 3.0% in 2024.

Given its status as a duty-free port, wine merchants and investors regard Hong Kong as a cost-effective and convenient distribution hub to store investment-grade wines for delivery to markets on demand. Mainland China and Macao, which accounted for about 69% of wine exports last year, were the major destinations. In value terms, Hong Kong wine exports increased 45.1% last year.

What’s on offer?

The 15th Wine & Spirits Fair will feature a diverse range of drinks, including Old and New world wines, wines and liquor from Mainland China and Japan, as well as whiskies and beers.

The fair will feature 11 group pavilions showcasing products from Australia, France, Germany and Italy, Japan, Mainland China, as well as the Hong Kong General Chamber of Wine & Spirits.

In addition to beverages, the Wine & Spirits Fair features zones that promote the industry’s all-round development, including Wine Education as well as Wine Accessories, Equipment and Services. Snacks and nibbles to accompany wines will be showcased in the Friends of Wine zone.

Key events

The Opening Reception on the first night will welcome Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, as the Guest of Honour.

Also on the first day, Master of Wine Debra Meiburg will host a Wine Industry Conference titled ‘EcoVino: Sustainability Trends and Solutions’, to explore sustainability trends and solutions with a panel of speakers including a representative from the UK’s Sustainable Wine Roundtable.

Another wine industry conference titled ‘Uncorking Opportunities: Mapping the China & Asian Wine Markets’ will be held on the second day, in which Master Sommelier Yang Lu and industry experts will explore business opportunities in the region.

Various seminars and tasting sessions will explore wine trends in different regions and markets, and introduce wines, sakes, whiskies, beers and more.

Public Day welcomes wine enthusiasts

The last day of the Wine & Spirits Fair (Sunday 5 November) will be the public day, welcoming both industry professionals and members of the public aged 18 or above. Regular tickets are priced at HK$200.

Multiple tasting sessions and masterclasses will be held on the Public Day, including a ‘Sip Around the World with CC’ session hosted by Cecilia Wong, a wine critic and co-chair of The Drinks Business Asian Masters, and a tasting session of Austrian wine by Master of Wine Debra Meiburg.

Guests visiting on the public day can register for the events on the 15th Wine & Spirits Fair’s website.