About HKCEC

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (often abbreviated as HKCEC or 會展) is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with Asia World-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial buildings.

Contents :

1. Construction
2. Management
3. Convention facilities statistics
4. Functions held at the site
5. Awards
5.1 2005
5.2 2004
5.3 2002
6. Role in Hong Kong's economy

7. Transport
8. In popular culture

9. External links

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1. Construction

The original building was built on reclaimed land off Gloucester Road in 1988. The glass curtain was the world's largest at the time, overlooking the Victoria Harbour on three sides.
The second phase of the centre, located on an artificial island, was constructed from 1994 to 1997, and features a bird-like rooftop (also referred to as a turtle by some critics). It is connected to the old phase with an atrium link - a sky bridge, and to Convention Road with two road bridges. The project took only 48 months from reclamation to completion, which is extremely fast for a building project of this size. The main constructor of the extension was a joint venture named Hip Hing Construction Co Ltd Dragages et Travaux Publics. The atrium link will be rebuilt and expanded.
The complex's construction was financed by New World Development, with the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and Harbour View Apartments on top of it.
The HKCEC has a total internal exhibition area of more than 28,000 square metres with 16-metre headroom and spans ranging from 26 m to 81 m. Its multi-curved steel roof has a total area of 40,000 m², while the 7,000 m² fully glazed main entrance foyer has a clear headroom of about 60 metres.

2. Management
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NWS Holdings Ltd (新創建集團有公司), is contracted by the HKTDC for the day-to-day management and operation of the HKCEC. The Managing Director of the company is Cliff Wallace.
There have been comments that the management of HKCEC provided preferential treatment to some client with regards to booking dates at the HKCEC. Cliff Wallace rebutted this allegations in a meeting with the Legislative Councilors in the 2003-2004 session. He reiterated during the meeting that his company did not provide preferential treatment, that dates were offered on a first-come-first-served basis and standard industry practices were exercised with regards to booking and scheduling at the HKCEC as required by the operating agreement with HKTDC.

3. Convention facilities statistics

5 exhibition halls: 46,600 m²
2 convention halls: 6,100 m²; total seating for 6,100
2 theatres: 800 m²; total seating for 1,000
52 meeting rooms: 6,900 m²
Pre-function areas: 8,000 m²
7 restaurants: total seating for 1,870
Business centre: 150 m²
Carpark spaces parking: for 1,300 cars and 50 vans
Total available rental space: 63,580 m²
Capacity: 140,000 visitors per day

4. Functions held at the site
Numerous functions are held at the HKCEC each year, including exhibitions, conventions/meetings, banquets and other special events.
The centre hosts more than 45 international trade fairs for buyers from more than 100 countries each year, including the world's largest leather fair and watch and clock fair. The regular international fairs for giftware, toys, fashion, jewellery, electronics and optical products are Asia's largest.
The HKCEC also includes provisions for video-conferencing, teleconferencing, satellite links, simultaneous interpretation in up to eight languages, audio-visual equipment, foyer registration space, and event signage.
It also served as the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony, which signified the end of British colonial rule.

5. Awards
The centre has won a number of awards, including "Best Convention and Exhibition Centre in Asia Pacific" in the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) Asia Pacific annual survey by organizers of exhibitions and conferences.

5.1. 2005
Golden Bauhinia Cantonese Restaurant Sous Chef Lui Yau Wing won Gold Award
Distinction Award in 'Deep-fried Dish Category' in the Best of the Best Culinary Awards 2005 by the Hong Kong Tourism Board
Voted Best Convention & Exhibition Centre" in 16th TTG Travel Awards 2005
Voted Asia Pacific's Leading Conference Centre for the third consecutive year at the 11th World Travel Awards by tens of thousands travel agents from around the world.

5.2. 2004
"The CIM Accolade Award 2004"
Voted "Best Convention and Exhibition Centre"

5.3. 2002
Golden Bauhinia Cantonese Restaurant won Gold Award in 'Lobster Category' and 'Bean Curd Category' in the Best of the Best Culinary Award
Voted "Best Exhibition Centre" in Asia Pacific for the second consecutive year by exhibition organisers in the annual exhibition venue survey
Voted "Best Overseas Centre, Meetings Category" for the ninth consecutive year
Second Prize in the 53rd Sapporo Snow Festival
The HKCEC had also won awards in previous years.

6. Role in Hong Kong's economy
With its strategic location near the city's financial heart and its comprehensive facilities, the HKCEC has become one of Hong Kong's competitive assets. It raises city's profile by providing a world-class venue for hosting major international trade fairs and conferences.
In recent years, the HKCEC has attracted an increasing number of local, mainland and overseas companies to market their products, services and ideas to the world on its premises. Buyers and sellers meet here and a large number of business transactions are made during these fairs, such as the Hong Kong International Film and TV market and the Hong Kong Food expo. They regard organising events at the HKCEC as a convenient and cost-effective way to source or sell in the region.

7. Transport
The Star Ferry, a Hong Kong ferry service, operates 2 routes from the HKCEC across the Victoria Harbour:
HKCEC, Wan Chai - Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
HKCEC, Wan Chai - Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom
The fare is HK$2.2 for adults, and HK$1.3 for children.
Currently, the closest MTR metro station serving the HKCEC is Wan Chai Station (exit C) on the Island Line. The proposed North Island Link, an extension of the MTR's Tung Chung Line, will have a station at HKCEC.
In addition, the HKCEC is served by bus routes number 960, 961, 40, 40M , 8 & 2A.

8. In Popular Culture

During the Chinese campaign of the video game Command & Conquer: Generals, the player is ordered to destroy the HKCEC with military force after it falls under the control of a fictional terrorist group. The game series was banned in China.
It is also the setting for the grand finale in both New Police Story starring Jackie Chan, and Gen-X Cops.

9. External links

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The HKCEC Official website
Satellite view of the site
MyTravelGuide.com: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
AIA Chicago:Distinguished Building Award: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Extension

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HKCEC

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About the Event

CommunicAsia2008 - Where the Business of Technology Comes to Life

The region's premier Information and Communications Technology event returns to Singapore from 17 - 20 June 2008. In its 19th edition,
CommunicAsia have been transforming the technology and business landscapes since 1979.

Reflecting the synergistic trend in the infocomm and digital media industries, the show will showcase the full spread of convergent technologies and applications from industry leaders intended to enhance enterprises' mobility and users' lifestyle.

The CommunicAsia Exhibition and Summit serve as a global platform for top operators, service providers, regulators, vendors and consultants to network, exchange industry best practices and shape the future of technology.

As the Asia Pacific region’s largest international ICT and telecommunications tradeshow, CommunicAsia 2008 is the ideal location for launching or expanding your presence in the US$146 billion South East Asian market. The 2007 event attracted 66,000 professional visitors and showcased over 2,402 exhibitors from 65 countries and regions. Over 50 per cent of the visitors and 80 per cent of exhibitors came from outside of Singapore.

Who should participate :
Companies from every sector of the ICT and telecommunications industries will be on show at CommunicAsia 2008 including:

• 3G / 3G LTE/ 4G
• Mobile communications, entertainment and applications
• Broadband wireless
• Next generation networks / VoIP / IPTV
• Infrastructure equipment and solutions
• WiMAX / Mobile WIMAX
• Satellite communications and technologies.

More information : http://www.communicasia.com/

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Becoming an exhibitor at an industry trade show or conference can be quite expensive. Try these top tips to make the most of your marketing return on investment (ROI):

Before the Show:

Carefully select the shows you will participate in - Are show attendees really good prospects for your services or products? Remember, it's preferable to have a lesser number of highly qualified leads at a conference than a large amount of those that don't fit the profile. Set goals - You must know what you hope to achieve in order to gauge your success. Sales, management and marketing should all be part of the selection of top goals for an exhibition. Plan in writing - The overall plan should include an agenda with tasks designated. Make sure your managers have signed off on your plan, and don't procrastinate until the deadline looms. Create a primary message - The best exhibits illustrate a single message very well. This strategy works better than the frazzled image presented when businesses try to do too much.
Design an attractive booth - To draw attendees into your exhibit area, make sure it isn't blocked. If you have enough room, offer comfortable seating to encourage visitors to stay a while. Sharp graphic design and compelling headlines entice prospects to swing by for more info.
Invite known prospects - Before the show begins, send mailouts to your lists, including free passes to the exhibition. Trade show managers usually provide these passes to exhibitors. Just before the time of the event, call out to your invitees to remind them to come by to visit, offering a good reason to do so.
Merchandise your participation - Offer a complimentary show pass with your correspondences. Add taglines to your outgoing emails, for example, "Come by and visit us at Booth 215 at the Exports Expo. Just ask us for a free ticket to the show floor." Send invitations to important reporters, offering to schedule interview slots with your key staff members. Include an article in the company newsletter which lists the conference and trade show schedule as known.
Train exhibit staff - Staff members must understand what their roles are and what they will need to do in order to get the best ROI on the show. This includes the detail of information about new news products and services, along with the overall company objectives. Create a custom lead form for staff to offer, which includes qualifying questions for your prospects.

During the Show

Create a booth identity - Consistent uniforms identify your staff members. You can create traffic-building recognition through pre-show mailouts which are in the same style.
Live demos - Demos attract people to your exhibit and teach them more about the offerings of your business. This is also a great way to communicate to a larger number of attendees at the same time.
Record prospect information - Remind booth staff that the main objective of the show is to generate sales leads. Ask that employees record what they come to learn about the problems and needs of the visitors who come by. Be sure they understand the importance of collecting contact info when possible, even offering incentives or rewards to those staff members who collect the most leads during the event.

After the Show

Send materials immediately - Follow-up information should be ready to send out before the show even begins. When requested, fax, mail, or email material to new leads immediately. Quick response time creates the opportunity to get a step ahead of your competitors.
Help prospects take the next step - Be sure that the info you send out shows respondents what the next step is, and what to do to take it. This includes listing all the possible ways that they can contact you.
Follow-up - The primary objective is to create winning relationships and continue to qualify your prospects. Offer them something of value in exchange for more information from them about their situation and needs. This could be a paper, a guide, or an invite to a conference or webinar.
Track leads to the sale - Did your prospects make a purchase? How much was it? Use this info to illustrate ROI to business management, in order to increase the chances of getting conference budget approval the following year.
Complete an evaluation - Take a look back after each event, and think about what worked and what did not. Collect constructive criticism about the event and ask sales staff and others about their impressions and observations. This kind of feedback will assist you in maximizing the benefit of shows in the future, including the overall return on your marketing budget.

About the Author

H. "Mac" McIntosh is described by many as one of America's leading business-to-business marketing and sales consultants and an expert on sales leads. He is president of Mac McIntosh Inc., a sales and marketing consulting firm that helps companies get more high-quality sales leads and turn them into sales.

Posted by Mac H. MacIntosh

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The Singapore Expo (Chinese: 新加坡博览中心) is the largest convention and exhibition venue in Singapore with 100,000 square metres of column-free, indoor space spread over 10 halls. Built and managed by PSA Corporation, and funded by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the S$220 million building (excluding the cost of the 40,000 m² expansion) was built in the east of Singapore near Simei and Tanah Merah. Currently managed by Temasek Holdings, Singex Venues Private Limited, the government-owned building was designed by Cox Richardson Rayner. It was officially opened on March 4, 1999.

Contents

Facilities
History
Expansion plans
External links

Facilities

Singapore Expo is the largest Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions venue in Singapore and is one of the largest and most completely equipped centre in the whole of Asia. There are ten large multipurpose halls, each being 10,000 sqm in size, giving a total floor space of over 100,000 sqm. All available space is interconnected and on ground level and column free.
Ten conference halls are also available, ranging in size from 89 to 844 sqm, suitable for 150 to 1,000 people. In addition, there are meeting rooms which can seat 15 to 125 members.
The original Singapore Expo building comprised six interconnected halls of 10,000 square metres each, with column free-spaces and ceiling heights of up to 16 metres. Each hall is self-contained and is linked to the other halls by air-conditioned walkways. An additional 40,000 sqm (four new halls) were completed in September 2005 and linked to the original building across Expo Drive via a sheltered walkway.
A carpark for 22,000 vehicles is also available, which can be converted into 25,000 sqm of outdoor exhibition space. It is accessible by MRT. You will need to transfer to another train from the Tanah-Merah platform.

History

A home design and decor exhibition in one of the halls at Singapore Expo.
With the exhibition space at the World Trade Centre slated for demolition, a replacement venue which could exceed the 34,000 square metres of indoor space was greatly needed. Construction on the building's first phase therefore commenced in 1997, and was officially opened on March 4, 1999, even though the effects of the Asian financial crisis has started to bite on the economy during that period. Critics predict that the halls will be under-utilized, and further worsened by its relatively remote location compared to the old World Trade Centre, or the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (now known as the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre) which had opened only a few years earlier in 1995.
The initial years almost proved the critics right, although the venue made a quick turnaround within a few years. The opening of the Expo MRT Station in 10 January 2001 was a boost to the venue, which was already experiencing increasing usage, helped in particular by the attempts to sell the venue for functions beyond exhibitions and conventions, which was to include rock concerts, new year parties, beauty pageants, musicals, and even as examination halls for educational institutions.
By 2003, demand for ever bigger exhibition space prompted the Singapore Expo to proceed with its expansion plans, especially in response to the needs of IMTA Asia, which was slated to be held from 17 October to 21 October 2005. With the inaugural show already occupying the full 60,000 square metres of space, pressure was on the venue to expand, or the prestigious event may have to move somewhere else since there is no other bigger venue available in Singapore. In response, a new 40,000 square metre expansion comprising a further four halls was constructed adjacent to the existing halls across Expo Drive in double quick time to meet the expected exhibition period, and was completed in June 2005. The extension includes a multi-purpose event hall and auditorium for large-scale meetings, seminars, conferences, congresses, concerts and other special events known as The MAX Pavilion. The original plan to build the second phase at the carpark is still on the cards.
Since 2001, the Bethesda Community church has been renting the Singapore EXPO Meeting Rooms for weekly services. Since December 2005, the largest church in Singapore, City Harvest Church, uses Hall 8 of the Singapore Expo on a weekly basis, while the 10,000-member Faith Community Baptist Church uses Hall 10 (The Max Pavilion).

Expansion plans

Road sign along Upper Changi Road East pointing to the exhibition halls.
Major expansion plans have been submitted to the Singapore Tourism Board to for Singapore Expo to acquire up to three further plots of land next to its current location. One of the plots was originally slated for use by UNSW Asia before they pulled out of Singapore. The expansion plans include the building of hotels, malls and restaurants in order to grow its business in anticipation of the completion of the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort in 2009.

External links
Singapore Expo Homepage

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Every business wants to find a powerful and cost-effective way to market their product. For many, trade shows and exhibitions create the perfect platform to do so, allowing businesses to interact with large volumes of industry-focussed buyers in a short space of time. Whether you're looking to launch a new product, revive sales of an existing product or raise your profile within the sector, trade shows offer the ideal space to showcase your brand. But with so many organisations competing for attention in the same space, it's important to set yours apart. Investing in a top class exhibition stand that's tailored around your product can make all the difference to its success at a show. Here's how...

Maximum impact

The type of stand you have depends on your budget, the space available and the nature of your product. First time exhibitors on a limited budget often start with standard shell scheme spaces, but these identical structures make it extremely difficult to set your brand apart from the others. Modular units create much more impact and can be instrumental in creating a buzz around your stand. They are also more flexible. They can be custom-built and tailored to match your corporate identity, or specifically designed for re-use at future events - making them more cost-effective in the long run.

Space and consistency

Building your stand around one central theme or message creates the feeling of consistency and flowing design, making it easier for visitors to stream through your space and interact with your product. Every aspect of your stand, including your exhibition staff, should compliment that theme. It's also important to ensure there are no physical barriers to getting onto your stand - think about how you arrange your stock and sales materials so that they're easy to reach and don't obstruct access. Displaying too many products can confuse and overwhelm visitors, so try to keep it simple and uncluttered by selecting only key products or ranges.

Attracting customers

In a busy exhibition hall, sellers have less than five seconds to attract a buyer's attention. In that time, your stand should tell visitors who you are, what you do and how it will benefit them, in a clear, powerful and engaging way. It's often harder to maintain their attention once they're on your stand, but there are several things you can do to stimulate interest. For example, stands which allow space for movement through demonstrations and presentations often attract the highest level of participation and the largest crowds. Incorporating visually-engaging materials such as state-of-the-art digital imaging is also a popular choice on top-of-the-range stands. Lighting is equally important as it creates the right mood around your product, so give careful consideration to the lighting design and ensure it reflects your product's appeal. More complex products and services that are less obvious to passing consumers will need a more vibrant design scheme to attract initial interest, and this can be achieved through striking use of colour and graphics. The benefits of investing in a custom-built stand are significant, and provide a powerful and cost-effective selling aid that can be adapted and re-used time and time again.

About the Author

Exhibitions are a great way of getting your message across to your 'public', but you need to do it the right way, and your prime weapon is your exhibition stand. Get this wrong and you are handicapped from the start. This article provides some thoughts on the subject but if you want more information and ideas, visit http://www.fullcirclegroup.co.uk/

Posted by : Graham Baylis

Source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=977453

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