Support for SMEs

To provide incentives to organisers of eligible recurrent exhibitions, so as to support the recovery and maintain the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s convention and exhibition (C&E) industry, as well as consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre and C&E hub.

The organiser of an eligible recurrent international exhibition may receive an incentive equivalent to 100% of the venue rental, the organiser of other eligible recurrent exhibition may receive an incentive equivalent to 50% of the venue rental, subject to a cap of HKD20 million for each exhibition. For the purpose of this paragraph, an international exhibition is an exhibition with over 50% or at least 500 non-local participants (including exhibitors and buyers), whichever is lower. A non-local participant is a person who does not reside in Hong Kong. 

An eligible recurrent exhibition is defined as follows: 

1. the event is organised by a private organiser and is not organised or co-organised by a government department or public body; 
2. the event is held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre or the AsiaWorld-Expo; 
3. the event starts within the period between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2026 (both dates inclusive). For the avoidance of doubt, an event which starts within the aforesaid period and ends beyond the aforesaid period is eligible, and the start date of an event is the first day on which the event opens to buyers and participants, irrespective of the licensing period, move-in/out period or when an organiser submits an application;
4. more than 50% or at least 1,200 square metres of the gross floor area of the event, whichever is higher, is used on each day of the event as the demonstration or display of products, materials and/or services by multiple sellers to multiple buyers with an aim to trade such products, materials and/or services whether inside or outside of the venue; 
5. the event is held recurrently, normally once every year or two years; 
6. the organiser of the event does not receive other government funding in respect of the venue rental of the event; and
7. the organiser and the event comply with all applicable laws in Hong Kong, including but not limited to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Competition Ordinance.

Please refer to the Application Guidelines and Forms (https://www.cedb.gov.hk/assets/document/cedb/business-environment/PDF_Application%20Guidelines%20and%20Forms%20for%20ISRE_eng.pdf) for relevant application procedures.