Travel Expo gearing up for growth

By Kenny Coyle HONG KONG Organisers of Business Travel Expo 2004 are confident the show will surpass the size of the two previous Expos and consolidate itself as a major regional exhibition for the corporate travel market. The show is targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to improve corporate travel strategies and get greater value for money from travel and accommodation suppliers. Business Travel Expo Group event director Paul Robin said: "Traditionally, travel buyers in the SME sector are very hard to identify. This is where we come in. Business Travel Expo has nine years' experience in Europe, with shows in and this is now our third show in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is the ideal location. It is business focused, close to the Pearl River Delta manufacturing areas in China and has superb facilities and infrastructure." The 2003 Expo attracted 1,200 key travel buyers and Robin said he hopes for closer to 1,500 this time, delivering a better audience and providing a cost-effective forum for travel suppliers to exhibit. Although the focus is on SME buyers, a number of larger companies will also attend Robin said. While the key aim is to attract Hong Kong-based buyers, non-hosted buyers are expected from mainland China, Singapore, Thailand and Australia. Business Travel Expo 2004 will be held on March 30-31 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.