Exhibitors feel confident they'll have a good game at fair
Most exhibitors expressed confidence yesterday that business would be good at the Ani-com and Games Fair, which opens today.
Companies said they had spent more money on products in preparation for the eleventh annual fair at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The senior marketing manager of the entertainment and devices division of Microsoft, Anna Chow, said her company had invested 20 per cent more money in the fair compared to last year and expected a 10 per cent increase in revenue.
'Because of swine flu, there has been a 27 per cent increase in the number of games consoles sold in July this year over last year,' she said.
Local comic giant Comics World said it did not expect a big change in business this year. But it had stocked more comics and toys than last year, and the products would be slightly cheaper, its marketing manager said.
Another local company, Gamania, is seeking to attract customers with its 17 limited-edition toys. It had invested HK$2.5 million in exhibits and advertisements this year, HK$500,000 more than last year, sales and marketing manager Erica Lau Man-wai said.
However, Japanese toy company Bandai expected business to be down 20 per cent on last year because its sales had decreased as a result of the global economic downturn.
Microsoft will present its game console Xbox 360 with the theme 'Made in Hong Kong', demonstrating games produced by local students. 'We're trying to show people that our local creative artists can produce good stuff too,' Ms Chau said.
As usual, models will be at the fair to promote products. Unlike previous fairs, some pseudo-models will also be in attendance, thanks to the stir they created at the book fair.
The fair will be open from 11am to 8pm until Tuesday. Tickets are HK$25. More than 400 companies will be exhibiting and about 600,000 people are expected to attend.
