Chinese exhibitors and those from overseas participating in the co-located 39th International Travel Expo and 20th MICE Travel Expo in Hong Kong said on Thursday that the event opens up a potential market bonanza and enhances the region’s appeal to tourists.

Starting on Thursday, the four-day expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre — themed “From Recovery to Development” — has attracted over 500 exhibitors from more than 60 countries and regions, including Japan, Nepal, and Thailand, and is expected to bring in over 77,000 professional and public visitors.

At the expo’s opening ceremony, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said about 49 million visitors are expected to come to Hong Kong this year, demonstrating that the city is still a world-class travel destination.

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“Hong Kong is bouncing back and moving forward on its tourism journey,” Law said.

Belarus is a first-time participant at the expo this year, with 10 people from the Eastern European country’s public and private sectors having arrived to explore the potential for cooperation.

Tatsiana Potapova, development director of Minotel — a hotel and restaurant chain in Belarus — told China Daily that direct flights and the mutual visa-exemption arrangements between China and Belarus have led to an increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Belarus.

She hopes to let Chinese people know more about the cities in Belarus, and to sign more contracts at the expo, which she believes will bring the two countries closer together.

Percy Pang, marketing executive for the Korea Tourism Organization’s Hong Kong branch, said exhibitors from South Korea have prepared various experiential activities, free souvenirs and lucky draws to attract visitors.

Each booth has a Korean staff member who can communicate in English and answer questions, said Pang.

In addition to tourism-related companies, many South Korea regions — such as Gyeonggi-do and Gangneung city — have set up booths at the expo to introduce their natural and cultural attractions.

Free air tickets to South Korea will be given away during two lectures at the expo this weekend, Pang said. The lectures are held from 2:30 pm to 3 pm on Saturday, and from 3 pm to 3:30 pm on Sunday, respectively.

Many Chinese mainland provinces are also exhibiting their tourism offerings at the expo.

Thanks to its geographical and cultural proximity, Guangdong province has long been a favorite destination for Hong Kong travelers.

At a booth set up by Guangdong province, Shenzhen Somytrip Intelligent Technology is showcasing its smart-travel customization system, which can help users customize a trip according to their needs within 10 seconds.

Hong Xin, the company’s marketing director, said Somytrip hopes to advertise the product and establish cooperation with the business and government sectors through the expo.

Nantong, a city in Jiangsu province, is attracting many visitors to its booth with its products incorporated with intangible cultural heritage, “blue calico” — a cloth dying technique using traditional methods.

A staff member of the Nantong municipal bureau of culture, broadcast, television and tourism told China Daily that the city has attended the expo several times, and this year has prepared a number of souvenirs representing regional cultural elements.

“We hope to attract more tourists from Hong Kong and Macao, and to promote our intangible cultural heritage through this event,” the staff member said.

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Quanzhou city in Fujian province is also exhibiting aspects of its intangible cultural heritage at the expo, in the hope of attracting more tourists from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Chen Tingting, deputy general manager of Quan Zhou Bao Zhong International Travel Service, said she received positive feedback during the first half-day of the expo, and representatives from cities in the Greater Bay Area and from overseas have made contact with her.

She said she hopes the expo can serve as a springboard for Quanzhou’s cultural tourism to expand into overseas markets and further promote the diverse tourism appeal of Quanzhou and other cities in Fujian, such as Xiamen and Zhangzhou.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com