Hong Kong Launches Luxury MICE Push with a New Global Partnership

The Hong Kong Tourism Board and Informa Markets held a signing ceremony in Hong Kong today. The ceremony was witnessed by Dr. Peter Lam, HKTB Chairman (back left), and Mr. Stephen Carter, Group CEO, Informa Group (back right). Mr. Anthony Lau, HKTB Executive Director (front left), and Ms. Margaret Ma Connolly, President & CEO of Informa Markets Asia (front right), signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf © Hong Kong Tourism Board

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Informa Markets to launch a new strategic partnership aimed at bringing a portfolio of premium international exhibition brands to Hong Kong.

Announced today (27 May), the agreement will see the creation of The Festival of Connoisseurs (TFOC), a new global exhibition platform built around Asia’s first-ever “city-as-your-showroom” concept. The initiative is designed to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as “the World’s Meeting Place” while attracting high-value visitors through a series of globally influential luxury and MICE experiences.

Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of the HKTB, said: “This partnership is of great significance. It not only elevates Hong Kong’s position as a premier global destination for high-end MICE tourism, but also affirms the city’s vital role as a ‘super-connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’ between the Chinese Mainland and the world.

At the same time, the collaboration drives the development of Hong Kong’s high-end tourism market and helps attract more international brands and high-value visitors to the city. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Tourism Commission, our trade partners and stakeholders for their unwavering support as we work hand in hand to advance Hong Kong’s journey as the World’s Meeting Place.”

Margaret Ma Connolly, President & CEO of Informa Markets Asia, described the move as a long-term commitment to Hong Kong’s role as a global business and luxury hub.

“Hong Kong has been at the heart of Informa's story in Asia for over three decades. In that time, we have grown alongside this city — through its transformations, its resilience, and its continued reinvention as one of most influential business destinations in the world. The decision to launch The Festival of Connoisseurs here is not simply a commercial one. It is a profound statement of conviction. We believe Hong Kong stands as the sovereign gateway between the world’s second largest economy and the global stage, where the Eastern prosperity meets the Western artistry.

By bringing together the resources, know-how and expertise of Informa's global luxury portfolio — from the world's most prestigious boat shows to the finest Jewellery fairs, from the exclusive private aviation platforms in Dubai to the spectacular supercar showcases in Monaco — and anchoring them here in Hong Kong, we are establishing Asia's definitive luxury show platform for the long term."
 

B-L: Mr. Dan Ye, Vice President of Informa Markets, Ms. Marilyn Tham, HKTB General Manager of Mega Events, MICE & Cruise, Ms Joanne Chu, Acting Commissioner for Tourism, Dr. Peter Lam, HKTB Chairman, Mr. Stephen Carter, Group CEO, Informa Group, Ms. Enid Low, Chief Strategy Officer of AsiaWorld-Expo, Ms. Suzanne Wang, Chief Financial Officer of Informa Markets Asia, Mr. Michael Duck, EVP Commercial Development of Informa Markets Asia; and Mr. Anthony Lau, HKTB Executive Director (front left), and Ms. Margaret Ma Connolly, President & CEO of Informa Markets Asia (front right). © Hong Kong Tourism Board

Under the three-year agreement, HKTB and Informa Markets will work together to establish Hong Kong as the home of TFOC between 2026 and 2028, with ambitions to grow the platform into an annual flagship MICE event with increasing international reach.

Moving beyond the traditional exhibition model, TFOC will extend across multiple venues and landmarks throughout Hong Kong, transforming the destination itself into an immersive luxury showcase. The event will span sectors including supercars, yachts, haute jewellery and horology, luxury travel, fine art, iconic real estate, private aviation, gastronomy, rare spirits, wellness products and premium lifestyle services.

According to the organisers, the B2B2C format is intended not only to serve professional buyers across multiple sectors, but also to engage high-yield travellers and the wider public through curated luxury experiences across the city.

As part of the collaboration, HKTB will also participate in five of Informa Markets’ leading international luxury exhibitions linked to TFOC: the Monaco Yacht Show, Palm Beach International Boat Show, Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Jewellery Arabia and Top Marques Monaco, which will expand into Hong Kong for the first time.

Together, the initiatives are expected to further strengthen Hong Kong’s profile within the global MICE and luxury tourism sectors.
 

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