Officials Calm Hong Kong Show Concerns

RAPAPORT... The organizers of the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair have assured the trade that the September show will take place as planned, and denied claims that exhibitors are requesting it be postponed due to ongoing protests in the municipality. "We have not received demands for cancellation as stated ina joint letter recently sent to us by three trade associations," Celine Lau, director of jewelry fairs for InformaMarkets, the show's organizers, said in a letter Friday. "Instead what we have been gettingare calls from exhibitors inquiring about the possibility of securing betterbooth locations in the event of cancellations, and inquiries forparticipation." The notification was in response to a communication sent to Lau by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council(GJEPC), Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and the Israel Diamond Institute(IDI) last week,suggesting a combined 30% to 40% of exhibitors were demanding to cancel theirparticipation regardless of whether the situation in Hong Kong improved. Contrary to the trade's concerns about the lack of clientparticipation, rumors of the fair's alleged cancellation or postponement haveincreased interest in the show, Lau explained. "The last three quarters have been quite challenging for theindustry, and this is the very reason why exhibitors, buyers and stakeholdersacross the entire business spectrum are fully engaged to get the most out ofthe September fair," she noted. "It is the last international fair on thisyear's jewelry trade-show calendar. For many exhibitors, this show representstheir last major opportunity to capture orders in 2019 for 2020 and beyond." Fears over insurance companies not providing coverage forgoods if riots were taking place near the show's location were unnecessary, Lau pointed out. "We have obtained confirmation from Malca-Amit and Brinks[insurance providers] that there is no change in the insurance policy inrelation to the public incidents in Hong Kong," she said. Additionally, the travel alert for Hong Kong was lowered, tobe comparable with alert levels in the UK, Europe and China; the airport isoperating normally; and the most recent demonstration was peaceful, Lau added. Image: The 2018 Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Show. (Informa Markets)