Over 2,500 exhibitors driving new cross-industry opportunities; a promising start for 2025 trade shows
– Themed New Play for All, the trio of fairs brings together more than 2,500 exhibitors from 34 countries and regions
– The number of exhibitors at Hong Kong Baby Products Fair achieves a record high; over 380 well-known toy and baby products brands in the Brand Name Gallery
– The three fairs reveal several product trends, including digitisation, green toys, and the popularity of cross-age group products
– Asian Toys & Games Forum will be held tomorrow, gathering international experts to discuss the social responsibilities of the toy industry
Kicking off a brand new year, the 51st HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the 16th HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 23rd Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, launched today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will take place over four consecutive days.
Hong Kong SAR Government Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Algernon Yau, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Acting Executive Director Sophia Chong, and HKTDC Toys Advisory Committee Chairman Bryant Chan officiated the Joint Opening Ceremony of the Toys & Games Fair and Baby Products Fair today, launching the 51st edition of Asia’s flagship Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair.
Algernon Yau, HKSAR Government Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said at the opening ceremony: “Entering the 51st year of the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, I have full confidence that the event, together with the concurrent Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, will continue to feature different innovative and distinctive products that are intriguing to all and, more importantly, facilitate business promotion and consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a global sourcing as well as convention and exhibition hub.”
Sophia Chong, HKTDC Acting Executive Director, said: “This year’s Toy Fair marks an important milestone and a new chapter for the toy industry. The three fairs are themed New Play for All, and feature multiple zones, from toys for infants and toddlers to collectible toys designed for adults with a childlike spirit, as well as STEM education toys, smart-tech toys & games and green toys, catering to the needs of all age groups and meeting market demand.
“The three fairs have drawn over 2,500 exhibitors from 34 countries and regions, including pavilions from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Asia and Europe, presenting cross-industry business opportunities to visitors. The HKTDC has proactively arranged more than 200 buying missions from over 40 countries and regions, and invited various Hong Kong-based international buyers and local enterprises including several large international e-commerce platforms, importers, department stores, specialty stores, retail chains, and procurement offices, creating new opportunities for the industry,” added Chong.
Three fairs reveal multiple product trends
Several product trends from this year’s exhibitors provide visitors from other industries with cross-industry business opportunities. These include:
– Digitised products: Many traditional toy and game manufacturers and brands are integrating electronics and new technologies with toys to enhance playability, such as the Dynamie Pixel Piano (Booth: 1E-C02), Upset Dog (Booth: 1C-F02), and the NASA Spirit Rover (Booth: 1C-F33).
– Learning and play combined: In the hope that kids can learn while having fun, many parents choose toys that can improve cognitive, social, intellectual, and aesthetic development. As a result, there is a greater demand for educational and intellectual products, such as the Giant Panda Anatomy Model (Booth: 1D-C12), Adventure Globe (Booth: 1E-A02), Children’s Play Sofa (Booth: 3F-G04), and Water Transfer Painting Set (Booth: 5B-B01).
– Demand for sustainable products: As sustainable consumption has grown, more parents are inclined to choose eco-friendly toys to reduce their environmental impact. Examples include straw DIY marble run blocks (Booth: 1C-D02) and the Voices of Nature series of puzzles (Booth: 1D-A08).
– Cross-age groups products: There is a growing popularity of toy designs and styles that cater to a wide range of age groups. Toys are no longer just for children; adults and even elderly are collecting toys, making the collectibles market a significant part of the toy industry. The Astro Boy Mechanical Clear Version (Booth: 1D-A26) is one example. The fair is actively developing the ageing market as well. For instance, a Hong Kong exhibitor has designed a wall game suitable for both the elderly and children, where the user must rotate cogs with both hands, and the vibrant visual stimulus helps to enhance concentration and left-right brain coordination (Booth: 1D-D22).
Exhibition space growth in multiple zones at the Toys & Games Fair
Toys & Games Fair saw an expansion in exhibition space in two major zones. This includes the Electronic & Remote Control Toys (up 40%) and Educational Toys & Games zones (up 7%). The Green Toys zone makes a welcome return and showcase eco-friendly and innovative products with a Green Leaf Label displayed at the booths of green exhibitors for buyers’ easy reference. This year, over 370 exhibitors have the Green Leaf label, an increase of 70% from the last edition.
Funded by the Trade and Industrial Organisation Support Fund of the Trade and Industry Department, HKSAR Government, the Toys Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong and FHKI Group 19 (Hong Kong Toys Council) present the first ESG Pavilion to showcase toys incorporating Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) elements, including products made entirely from eco-friendly or recycled materials. Exhibitors are using various creative methods to promote sustainable development, emphasising the value of social responsibility and ESG fundamentals.
This year’s Toys Fair has an impressive pavilion lineup, including exhibitors from Mainland China, Taiwan and Korea, as well as selected European exhibitors at the Spielwarenmesse eG’s World of Toys Pavilion. Exhibits include Glow-in-the-Dark Slime (Booth: 1CON-068), Genius Square board game (Booth: 1CON-061), and more. The Hong Kong Brand Toy Association (HKBTA) Pavilion once again promotes the local creative industry and trendy toy products to international buyers.
Record number of exhibitors at Baby Products Fair
With more than 660 exhibitors, this year’s Hong Kong Baby Products Fair boasts the most exhibitors ever. The popular ODM Strollers and Gear zone is back for the second consecutive year, featuring over 80 exhibitors, making it easier than ever for buyers to source products from original design manufacturers. The Selection of Europe Pavilion returns and feature, for the first time, the UK’s Baby Products Industry Association putting a spotlight on quality European baby brands and products, such as cribs and hearing protection earmuffs. This year sees the return of several popular pavilions, including well-known Korean and Hong Kong Children, Babies, Maternity Industries Association pavilions. Making their debut this year is the Zhejiang Zhili pavilion presents an array of high-quality infant and children’s clothing.
The Toys & Games and Baby Products Fairs continue to feature the popular Brand Name Gallery, bringing together over 380 well-known brands from around the globe, including ABC Design, AURORA, Eastcolight, Hape, Masterkidz, Osann, Rastar, Uncle Bubble and Welly, allowing buyers to source the latest designs and high-quality products from a variety of brands.
Jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, the Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair features the latest school and office supplies, creative art supplies and gift stationery. Various high-quality stationery brands are showcased, including 555, AP Group, CJP, Chung Tin, Colorlutions, Diakakis, Kaywin, Kuoda, Marshmallow, MUST, Renga, Sayyed, Tercel and Zhengda, among others, presenting innovative products.
Asian Toys & Games Forum explores the important roles of toys everyday life
The Asian Toys & Games Forum will be held tomorrow (7 January). Themed Beyond Fun and Play: Fostering Social Responsibility in the Toy Industry, international toy and game industry experts will discuss the industry’s latest topics, including The Toys and Games Market Outlook and Opportunities by Clifton Chiu, Senior Research Analyst, Euromonitor International (Hong Kong), The Power of Play for Healthcare and Wellness by Dr Vinci Cheung, Psychologist, Head of Family and Child Services, The Companions CCM Ltd, Integrating AI Smart Toys into Social Life by Larry Wang, Founder & CEO, FoloToy Creative Pte Ltd, and Designing Toys for Active and Better Ageing by Dr Sittha Sukkasi, Senior Researcher in Environment Research Group, MTEC, NSTDA, while a representative of the Hong Kong Toys Council will host the discussion and explore with the speakers on the opportunities for the toys industry in the health sector and the ageing market.
In today’s The Evolution of Stationery in the Digital Era at the Stationery & School Supplies Fair, John Yeung from Google Hong Kong, Professor Siu Cheung Kong from The Education University of Hong Kong and Mike Cheung from Microsoft Hong Kong will dive into the new demands for stationery from the current Generation Z, Generation Alpha, and the ageing market, as well as the profound impact of artificial intelligence and technology on the field of education.
Other seminars will cover popular topics such green toys trend, green stationery, baby products market trends, latest toy safety regulations, toy specifications, testing and certification. Helping buyers and sellers to broaden their business networks and learn about the most recent market trends, there are many networking events, buyer forums, product demo and launch pad, and seminars throughout the fair period.
The three exhibitions offer buyers a one-stop sourcing platform, creating more cross-industry business opportunities. Under the EXHIBITION+ model, the fairs integrate physical exhibition and the Click2Match smart business platform for online business meetings. The online exhibition is accessible until 16 January, to sustain and create greater business opportunities for the industry. Buyers can also scan QR codes at exhibitor booths using the Scan2Match service to bookmark their favourite exhibitors, browse product information and engage with exhibitors even after the fair to make for more business connections.
Fair Websites
HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair: hktoyfair.hktdc.com
HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair: hkbabyfair.hktdc.com
Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair: hkstationeryfair.com
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About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn
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