HKTB wins inaugural IBTM Asia Pacific 2025

30.11.2023

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that Hong Kong has won IBTM, one of the world’s leading MICE event brand, to organise its inaugural MICE trade show IBTM Asia Pacific 2025, in Spring 2025 in Hong Kong.

The event is expected to attract more than 1,500 travel trade and MICE professionals from the Mainland, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, South Korea and other markets in the region, and long-haul markets. The event not only provides an ideal platform for Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas travel agents, hotels, MICE venues, attractions, airlines and other industry players to explore business opportunities, but also helps consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international meeting place.

Pang Yiu-kai, HKTB chairman, said, “IBTM’s decision to host its inaugural flagship trade show for the Asia Pacific region in Hong Kong is a strong testament to Hong Kong’s international standing and its unique role as a super-connector of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) by the global MICE industry. The event will not only bring more than 1,500 high-yield visitors from the global travel trade and MICE industry to Hong Kong but will also generate positive word-of-mouth with their personal experience. This, in turn, will help bring more MICE events to Hong Kong, creating multiplier effect contributing to the city’s economy.”

Vasyl Zhygalo, IBTM portfolio director, agreed that Hong Kong is an international MICE hub, “Hong Kong comes with various competitive edges, such as its diverse choice of venues, convenient transport facilities and the provision of comprehensive professional support. Geographically, it is well positioned as a gateway between the world and the Mainland, especially cities in the GBA, which makes the city the ideal host of IBTM Asia Pacific. I am confident that this exhibition will help MICE trade members in different markets establish contacts with each other and explore opportunities in the region.”

Showcasing Hong Kong's advantages

In order to bring this APAC flagship event to Hong Kong, the HKTB teamed up with the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Hotels Association, Hong Kong Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, and AsiaWorld-Expo to pitch to the organiser with Hong Kong’s latest tourism updates and growth momentum, showcasing the city’s unique edges with the strong support of the Mainland while being closely connected to the world, as well as the city’s potential in developing multi-destination tourism in GBA.

Hong Kong’s new infrastructural developments are also set to take business events to new heights. Excellent accessibility is enabled through state-of-the-art cross-boundary transport infrastructure including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the High-Speed Rail (HSR) (Hong Kong Section) that connects to 73 Mainland stations. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is transforming from a city airport into an Airport City, including the development of Skycity and the Three-runway System (3RS). HKIA is capable in handling an annual passenger volume of 120 million when the 3RS operates in full. The developments will further strengthen Hong Kong as an international aviation hub and create a new landmark for Hong Kong.

With strong fundamentals, new growth opportunities coupled with novel tourism offerings and experiences, the HKTB will continue to bid for major MICE events for Hong Kong.