The decision stems from the success of Vinexpo Asia, due to be held from May 23-25 in Marina Bay Sands Singapore, where it will take place every odd-numbered year going forward. Boasting 25 years’ presence in the region, the Singapore edition is already fully subscribed, according to the organizers with all the exhibitor areas sold ahead of schedule.

“In a few weeks’ time, Vinexpo Asia will resume its place in Asia. All the indicators are positive and expectations are high,” comments Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse. “Vinexpo Asia will continue to be held in Singapore in odd-numbered years with its sights set firmly on embracing Asian markets across-the-board. In even years, it will return to Hong Kong where there are no taxes and which is still the gateway to the Chinese market”, he says.

“Making Vinexpo Asia an annual event, rotating between these two pivotal cities for the wine and spirits trade, is part of a successful, dynamic international strategy executed by the Vinexposium group around the world. We are delighted to be returning for the long-term with this eagerly awaited event”, he stresses.

Lameyse had already announced in his Address in Hong Kong on March 30 this year that Vinexpo Asia would return to Hong Kong every even year. Coincidentally Vinexpo had debuted in Hong Kong in 1998. The strategy illustrates determination by the French holding company Vinexposium to bolster its leadership position in the wine and spirits industry in Asia by providing a quality event that meets the expectations of industry professionals.

Over a 1,000 international exhibitors from 35 countries spearheaded by Singapore, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, are expected to welcome 8,000 wine professionals from Asia including India.

Vinexpo Asia comes on the heels of Vinexpo India that was launched in Delhi on 9-11 December 2021, followed by the Mumbai edition at the Leela Hotel on 18-20 August 2022. The 2nd edition in Delhi was organized on 7-9 December, 2022 when the organisers indicated they were taking a break in Mumbai this year as the 3rd Delhi edition was firmed up for 7-9 December 2023, co-located with the highly successful Show SIAL India, at the Pragati Maidan Exhibition Center.

Clarifying why Vinexpo India is not being organised in Mumbai this year, Rajan Sharma, CEO of InterAds Exhibitions, co-organisers, says, ‘Vinexpo India Mumbai at The Leela Mumbai was a very successful Show. In fact, our Masterclasses saw an unmatched success. But we like to focus more in Delhi right now and will bring back the Mumbai edition later.’

Vinexpo is a very well-organized, high-level event. As the managers of an e-commerce platform in China Song Jin, General Manager of one of the largest importers in China reportedly says, ‘we must attend Vinexpo Asia in Singapore because of all the people we can meet there”.

Vinexpo Asia will also host 40 sessions as part of the Vinexpo Academy, one of the most insightful and prestigious programmes in the world. The masterclasses, major tastings and conferences will bring together prominent international experts which will include Raimonds Tomsons (2023 Best Sommelier of the World), Elaine Brown (American wine writer), Evan Goldstein (Master Sommelier) and Mason Ng (ASI 2022 Best Sommelier of Asia and Oceania) as the Speakers.

Vinexpo has officially announced that it will make a comeback to Hong Kong next year after the leading wine and spirits trade show opted Singapore for Hong Kong this year due to the city’s restrictive pandemic measures.

Hong Kong’s prolonged self-isolation during the pandemic forced many event organizers to seek alternatives and Vinexposium, organizer of Vinexpo, was no exception. It announced in May last year that its biennial edition would be held in Singapore instead from May 23 to 25, 2023 at Marina Bay Sands.

Vinexpo debuted in Hong Kong in 1998 and has since grown to become the city’s flagship biennial international wine and spirits fair in Asia, especially after Hong Kong removed wine tariffs in 2008. The wine and spirits fair was supposed to return to the city in 2020 but was twice delayed because of Hong Kong’s self- isolation during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

After another successful edition in Paris on 13-15 February this year, the Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2024 will be back in the French capital from February 12 to 14 2024 and Lameyse promises it to be “even more ambitious internationally”. “The future is to make sure we grow the show internationally and to have more international buyers,” he says.

For further details on Vinexpo Asia, click

Subhash Arora