Dubai to host APLF once more in 2023
Senior vice-president at event organiser Informa Markets Asia, David Bondi, has said the company had taken enough encouragement from the success of the special edition of APLF it ran in Dubai in March this year to pick the same venue for its March 2023 event.
He said Dubai had proved to be a good venue because of the facilities available in the city, and because of ease of travel, light covid restrictions, the high-quality, modern exhibition centre and the positive environment for business meetings.
Mr Bondi said the organisers had noted the absence in March this year of visitors from China and from the ten ASEAN countries and that, for this reason, had decided to hold a special edition of APLF in Bangkok in October 2022.
He explained that, taking into consideration the strict covid policies still in place in Hong Kong and mainland China, Informa Markets had taken the decision to run the All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE) on the planned dates, August 31-September 2, but to hold it as a local event only. “Shanghai has been in strict lockdown since the beginning of April,” Mr Bondi said, “and is only now, at the start of June, beginning to open up.”
Turning to APLF again, he said the possibility that international travellers may still face restrictions on entry to Hong Kong in the early part of 2023 had convinced Informa Markets to opt for Dubai again, with March 13-15 as the dates it has chosen for the event. “I think we had the best show we could possibly have had under the circumstances in Dubai this year,” Mr Bondi said. “Overall, the feedback we received was positive and that’s why we have decided on Dubai again for March 2023. Exhibitors need certainty.”
He said the APLF team would keep a close eye on developments in the months ahead to see if there is the possibility of hosting an edition of APLF in Hong Kong later in 2023. “We don’t know yet how quickly Hong Kong and mainland China will reopen, but if it is possible, we will consult with the industry and consider doing this,” Mr Bondi said.
APLF event director, Grace Lee, added: “Eventually, APLF will come back to Hong Kong, for sure. Our events in Bangkok and Dubai are only temporary.”
