Yue Yen, Jako Asia, Sing Wo Sports, Red House Hong Kong and some other big Chinese contractors have already agreed to show at Sports Source Asia, a new event due to be held next Oct. 27-30 in Hong Kong for the sourcing of sports equipment, footwear and apparel. Most exhibitors will in fact be producers. It is not yet clear how many will participate in the event, but the organizers hope to attract at least 200 companies and to make this an annual occurrence.
In contrast with the big China International Sporting Goods Fair, which was held in Chengdu last week and will go live again in Beijing next August, the timing and the location of the new fair are specifically geared for the needs of purchase and product managers from the increasing number of sports brands that get their products made in China and other parts of Asia. Many of them already have their sourcing offices in Hong Kong.
Coinciding with the normal contracting cycle, Sports Source Asia will take place at the same time as the second part of the big Canton Fair in Guangzouh, which attracts some 300,000 visitors each year. The organizers of Sports Source Asia will have buses connecting the two fairs. Sports Source Asia will be held at the new AsiaWorld-Expo, close to Hong Kong’s new international airport and well connected with the city.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, which co-organizes the new event, has a very good database, considering that some five million buyers converge on Hong Kong each year to visit about 100 different fairs, mostly sourcing-oriented, in multiple sectors. Hong Kong exported sporting goods worth more than US$5.5 billion in 2006, coming largely from the Chinese mainland.
The other co-organizer of Sports Source Asia is Messe München, which is responsible for the ISPO shows in Munich, Moscow and Beijing. The ISPO fair in Munich continues to host a large sourcing section, but it is more geared to the needs of European buyers and its timing is not ideal for the purchase managers of the vendors. Sports Source Asia addresses buyers from all over the world. It is meant to be used also as a platform for the discussion of joint venture and franchising opportunities.
Mostly brands-driven and targeting sporting goods retailers from China and other parts of Asia, ISPO China has become an established event in its category. After its successful move to Beijing last month, with 12,059 passages through its turnstiles, Messe München has decided to keep it there. However its dates have been shifted to Feb. 24-26 for next year.
The prospect of the Beijing Summer Olympics is certain to heighten interest in the big and rapidly growing Chinese market. On the other hand, the earlier time slot will be better suited to take retailers’ orders for the Winter season.
