Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 20th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), the third Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo and the 13th Eco Expo Asia concluded with a record number of over 73,000 buyers from 154 countries and regions visiting the three events - an increase of 6% on last year's attendance.

HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau said that the increase in buyer attendance showed the three concurrent fairs had been successful in creating synergy to help build an effective cross-industry sourcing platform.

The number of buyers from many markets -- including the United States, Mexico, Chile, Russia, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Korea -- saw significant growth.

He also noted that based on an on-site survey conducted at the Autumn Lighting Fair, the industry in general is cautiously optimistic about the business outlook for next year, while smart city and smart home trends will continue to drive the development of the lighting industry.

The HKTDC commissioned an independent on-site survey during the Autumn Lighting Fair and Outdoor and Tech Light Expo.

Among the 658 exhibitors and buyers interviewed, 53% of respondents said they expected the ongoing Sino-US trade friction to have a negative impact on export performance. However, 86% of respondents expected to see either improved or stable market prospects in 2019. In terms of specific markets, respondents were most optimistic about Japan, with 80% viewing the country as having strong market potential, followed by the Korean, ASEAN and Middle Eastern markets (76%).

Regarding products, 28% of respondents considered LED lighting products to have the greatest growth potential in 2019, followed by residential lighting (23%) and smart lighting solutions (21%). More than 90% of respondents expressed a belief that the development of smart cities and the smart home will have a positive impact on the lighting industry over the next two years.

As Internet of Things (IoT) technology continues to mature, it is driving the development of both the smart city and smart home.

The Smart Home Gallery made its debut at the Autumn Lighting Fair to showcase smart lighting products from Opple, Philips and Tuya, as well as a smart platform from Jingxun (a partner of Tmall Genie AI Union) and Yeelight (a Xiaomi Eco-System company). The Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone featured an array of lighting designs, software, management systems and smart lighting design solutions. The fair also featured a Smart Lighting Development Forum, where industry experts discussed the latest developments in smart home lighting and IoT technology.

The Outdoor and Tech Light Expo showcased lighting products and solutions for industrial and commercial buildings, outdoor areas and professional venues such as warehouses and production houses. The inaugural Horticultural Lighting Zone presented grow lights for plants in outdoor areas such as farms, domestic gardens and public parks. Various forums and seminars were held during the fair period, focusing on a range of issues such as smart road lights, horticultural lighting and testing and certification services for lighting products to highlight the latest industry trends.

The HKTDC's Mr Chau noted that, with the ongoing development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, local governments are now keen to promote a greener, low-carbon economy, creating enormous investment opportunities in the areas of environmental pollution control, waste management and energy-saving products and services.

In view of this development, this year's Eco Expo Asia featured the new Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Zone, where cities such as Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and Foshan presented the latest green opportunities, while various Greater Bay Area government officials and corporate representatives shared their insights on green policies and market trends to promote greater collaboration on environmental issues.

The expo featured a total of nine thematic zones to meet the latest market needs. Among them, the Water Treatment and Quality Management Zone showcased technologies and equipment such as marine protection, sewage treatment and system maintenance, waste water recycling technology and water purification equipment. Fourth-time expo exhibitor Enviro Process Technologies Co Ltd (Hong Kong) displayed multiple water-processing machines including a dehydrator and accessory equipment for adhesives and solvents. "We met many new buyers and have some orders confirmed from private sectors and government departments. Eco Expo Asia has helped us achieve our exhibiting targets. We will come back next year with a bigger booth," said General Manager Matthew Ho.

Gathering more than 3,100 exhibitors, the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) and Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo attracted more than 44,600 visitors and over 13,600 buyers respectively, forming the world's largest lighting marketplace. Meanwhile, Eco Expo Asia, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the HKSAR Government, featured nearly 340 exhibitors and attracted more than 14,800 buyers.

The Autumn Lighting Fair was held from 27-30 Oct at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The Outdoor and Tech Light Expo was held from 26-29 Oct at AsiaWorld-Expo, alongside the concurrent Eco Expo Asia which was held from 25-28 Oct. The three parallel fairs offered a one-stop sourcing platform and synergy to provide more cross-industry business opportunities.