This year’s Global Sources Hong Kong Shows at AsiaWorld-Expo, held in phases over much of October, attracted some 5,000 suppliers from 19 countries. Phase 3 focused on outdoor innovation, with pickleball emerging as a key growth category projected to double in market size by 2034.
Among the participating countries the organizer, Global Sources, singles out Vietnam, whose Pavilion – backed by the Vietnam SME Association (VINASME) and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) – fielded some 20 exhibitors.
Overall the suppliers filled some 9,000 booths with 340,000 products. Buyer visits amounted to 120,000, with an increase in professional buyers from “emerging markets.”
Phase 1 of the show focused on consumer electronics, electronic components and gaming. More relevant to our industry was Phase 2, focused on the “AI-powered ecosystem.” Of note here were the Consumer AI Gadget Conference and the AI & Robotics Summit (AIRS), discussing Asian market channel strategies, robotics-as-a-service, smart wearables, AI-assisted devices, AI and robotics commercialization pathways, XR and smart hardware. But of direct relevance for us was Phase 3, devoted to the theme “World Cup Fever, Outdoor Innovation.”
Pickleball market set to double by 2034
For this part gear and wear were on display for camping, fitness, water sports and outdoors sports, but the spotlight was on pickleball, whose market size, Global Sources believes, should grow from the $457 million of 2024 to $916 million by 2034. Exhibitors ranged from OEM and ODM manufacturers to brands, and from entry-level to professional sporting goods, not to mention bags, shoes and products designed for in- or outdoor use. Some of the premium products neared 2,000 Chinese yuan renminbi (€243) in price.
There show had an indoor pickleball training camp, for live demonstrations; an inaugural Pickleball Expo Cup, held in partnership with a charity, Po Leung Kuk (Society for the Protection of Women and Children), of Hong Kong; and a “World Cup Fever Zone,” for “football industry chain products and customization solutions.”
The bigger picture
According to its Vice President for Hong Kong and Overseas Shows, John Kao, Global Sources is looking now to “focus more on innovative applications and development of AI products” so as to integrate “cutting-edge technology with global supply chains” and “uncover next-phase growth opportunities for buyers and suppliers […].”
Global Sources is a 50-year-old multichannel online-to-offline (O2O) sourcing platform, with headquarters in Hong Kong.
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