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Newcomers flock to display their wares

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The 24th International Travel Expo (ITE) Hong Kong starts today at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. It is set to attract tens of thousands of travel industry professionals and the general public to its 600 international exhibitors.

The Expo will once again run in conjunction with the Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) Business and Incentive Travel Expo, making the ITE and Mice expo one of the most comprehensive in the region, representing 45 countries and regions.

The event will run until Sunday, with today and tomorrow open exclusively to those in the trade, and the weekend being open to the public who can purchase tickets on the day. Rita Lau, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, will be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony.

'We expect over 12,000 trade and corporate visitors over the first two days, with more than 65,000 members of the public on the weekend,' says K.S. Tong, managing director of event organiser TKS Exhibitions.

Tong says the Expo covers an area of more than 150,000 sqft and comprises individual exhibitors and country pavilions. 'Many of these pavilions represent individual countries and are organised by their respective tourism authorities,' Tong says. 'Quite a number of them will be showcasing cultural performances and the best that their countries have to offer to tourists.'

He cites the Philippines pavilion, which this year has the theme 'food', and members of the public will be treated to free samples of the country's cuisine. There are many new participants and pavilions from Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Britain Israel, Ho Chi Minh City and other Asian countries. 'We're happy to see new countries and cities coming from longer haul destinations this year,' Tong says.

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