HONG KONG : In view of the significant resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the recent week of 6-12 July, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has discussed with the Government over the weekend, and was advised that, given the latest epidemic situation and the Government re-imposing certain social distancing restrictions on public health grounds, the Book Fair, despite the precautionary measures to be put in place, should be avoided, since it would likely be difficult to perform contact tracing and imposing subsequent disease control measures for the huge number of people involved. The health of Hong Kong people is a priority. As such, the Hong Kong Book Fair (original dates: 15 to 21 July) and three other public fairs during this period: Sports and Leisure Expo (original dates: 15 to 21 July), Education and Careers Expo (original dates: 16 to 19 July) and Entrepreneur Day (original dates: 16 to 17 July) will be rescheduled.
The Government and the HKTDC understand the disappointment of the industry sector and exhibitors as well as the public with the postponement of this major annual event. The Government has indicated that it will continue to provide its pledged support under the Anti-epidemic Fund when the fairs are rescheduled to a later date. The HKTDC will be in contact with related parties to discuss rescheduling arrangements, and details will be available in due course.
With regard to the Book Fair, ticket holders of purchased tickets can request a refund upon presentation of valid tickets. Details for refund will be announced on the Book Fair Website (www.hkbookfair.com). (VIP tickets and complimentary tickets are not eligible for refund.)
Regarding HKTDC Entrepreneur Day (16 to 17 July), a number of virtual seminars will continue to be broadcast live online as scheduled (Timetable link), while arrangements for the exhibition portion will be announced later.
The HKTDC expresses its sincere gratitude to the general public and to supporting organisations, exhibitors and partners for their support and understanding during this challenging time. With safety as a priority, the HKTDC will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with stakeholders.