15 November 2013 – More than 170 companies from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province are taking part in the inaugural Lifestyle Expo in Istanbul, which opened yesterday and continues through 16 November at the Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Centre.
A wide range of visitors, including importers, distributors, mass retailers and buyers from department stores and specialty shops in Istanbul and throughout Turkey, are attending the three-day event.
Growing Cooperation
At the opening ceremony, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Deputy Executive Director Margaret Fong spoke of the growing cooperation between Hong Kong and Turkey and said there was much more to look forward to. “Your country is blessed with a growing economy and some 75 million people, making Turkey the third-largest country in Europe,” she noted. “No less appealing, your young, fast-expanding consumer society is looking for the quality, stylish, value-for-money products Hong Kong can offer.”
Lifestyle Expo in Istanbul can help satisfy those needs. The show is presenting innovative products in five categories: electronics, fashion and fashion accessories, gifts and premiums, household products, and watches and clocks.
Asia’s Lifestyle Trendsetter
“These are lifestyle products in demand everywhere,” said Ms Fong, who added that “Hong Kong’s reputation for quality, for design and trailblazing style, has made it Asia’s lifestyle trendsetter. It’s a role that embraces an expanding variety of smart, in-demand consumer products, from fashion and jewellery to watches, food, film and entertainment in general.”
Small-Order Zone
The expo features a Small-Order Zone, offering Turkish buyers products in quantities as low as 20 pieces. Other highlights include daily product parades, as well as Hong Kong Design Excellence and Fashionally showcases; these display the award-winning work of 19 Hong Kong product and fashion designers. In addition, the HKTDC is providing complimentary business-matching services for expo visitors.
Global Success
One of the HKTDC’s signature emerging-market events, Lifestyle Expos have a successful track record in promoting trade between companies from Hong Kong and new markets worldwide. Previous Lifestyle Expos have been held in Central Europe, India and Indonesia.
Opening Ceremony
Along with Ms Fong, those taking part in the opening ceremony included: Ma Hua, Deputy Director General, Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangdong Province; Kazım Tekin, Deputy Governor of Istanbul; Zhang Qingyang, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Turkey; Stanley Lau, Chairman, Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Zhu Guangyao, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Turkey; Yavuz Onay, Vice Chairman, Turkish-Chinese Council Executive Board; and Miss Hong Kong 2013 Grace Chan.
Lifestyle Organisers
Lifestyle Expo in Istanbul is organised by the HKTDC and the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangdong Province. The HKTDC and GD-DOFTEC are the official trade promotion organisations of Hong Kong and Guangdong Province respectively.
In the first nine months of this year, trade between Hong Kong and Turkey totalled nearly US$900 million, up 4.3 per cent, year on year.
Expo Website: www.lifestyleexpoinfo.com/istanbul
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:
Joe Kainz Tel: (852) 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org