Grand Opening of October 2024 Global Sources Sports & Outdoor Show Emerging Sports Rise: Pickleball and AR Fitness Take Center Stage

HONG KONG, Oct. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Phase 3 of the 2024 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows officially opened today, featuring the Global Sources Sports & Outdoor Show alongside the debut of the Global Sources Baby & Children's Products Show. The events will run until October 30 at AsiaWorld-Expo. With growing global awareness of health consciousness, the sports and outdoor industry is experiencing explosive growth. The Sports & Outdoor Show, first launched last year, has successfully captured trends in the sports industry and met global buyers' demands.

Phase 3 of the 2024 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows officially opened today, featuring the Global Sources Sports & Outdoor Show alongside the debut of the Global Sources Baby & Children's Products Show. With growing global awareness of health consciousness, the sports and outdoor industry is experiencing explosive growth. The Sports & Outdoor Show, first launched last year, has successfully captured trends in the sports industry and met global buyers' demands.

The Global Sources Sports & Outdoor Show showcases over 30,000 high-quality, fashionable, technological, and environmentally friendly sports and outdoor products, featuring approximately 600 booths from Asia. The shows cover equipment for camping, fitness, water sports, outdoor activities, sportswear, and accessories, aiming to build a comprehensive sports lifestyle ecosystem and create a one-stop fashion sports sourcing platform. The Global Sources Baby & Children's Products Show concurrently showcases baby products, toys, clothing, strollers, car seats, children's furniture, and related maternal and infant services.

John Kao, Vice President of Global Sources Hong Kong and Overseas Shows, stated: "The sports and outdoor market is experiencing unprecedented development opportunities. People's pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and love of nature are driving the robust growth of the sports and outdoor industry. Our shows follow market trends by not only providing buyers with a diverse range of high-quality sports and outdoor products but also by introducing immersive sports experiences and emerging sports programs, bringing new vitality and business opportunities to the industry. Global Sources will continue to promote the development of the sports and outdoor market and build a superior platform for global buyers and suppliers to exchange ideas and cooperate."

Newly Emerged Sports Growth: Indoor Pickleball Experience Space Added

Global Sources Sports & Outdoor breaks from traditional exhibition formats by introducing a series of immersive sports experiences for buyers. Among newly emerged sports, Pickleball has shown significant growth, with Hong Kong recently opening its first indoor Pickleball experience space, demonstrating enormous business potential and broad development prospects. Global Sources set up a Pickleball court and launches a "Pickleball Training Camp" with HKPickle.Union. Visitors can interact on-site and experience the unique charm of Pickleball under the guidance of promotional ambassadors and professional coaches, stimulating buyers' purchasing interest in the emerging sports trend.

The show has also established a Sports Carnival in Hall 5, featuring basketball, air hockey, smart bike riding, darts, table football, and other sports gaming facilities. Through a series of sports and outdoor-themed activities and competitions, buyers can enjoy sports in fun competitions while sourcing products in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Wellness & Fitness Zone: PURE Yoga Classes and Latest AR Fitness Equipment

Phase 3 of the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows has set up a special "Wellness & Fitness Zone" in collaboration with local premium fitness center PURE, bringing a series of yoga and fitness activities to buyers and exhibitors. PURE's professional yoga instructors will provide yoga experiences on-site and share yoga-related knowledge.

The experience zone will also showcase the latest AR fitness equipment, which won the 2023 Red Dot Winner Award. This equipment integrates digitalization, artificial intelligence, gym training, strength training, and smart home fitness functions, providing visitors with an immersive fitness experience. Through these activities, buyers can closely understand and experience the latest sports and outdoor products while personally participating in health and fitness practices.

International Pavilions Showcase Diversity, Innovation

The exhibition continues its internationalization, attracting pavilions from countries including India and Vietnam. The Vietnamese manufacturers' group is presenting highly competitive and cost-effective new products such as sportswear, swimwear, and functional bags. These products highlight Vietnam's increasing craftsmanship and design capabilities while bringing Southeast Asian fashion design concepts and creativity to the show. On the opening day, the Vietnam Pavilion held an opening ceremony attended by Hu Wei, CEO of Global Sources; Mrs. Le Duc Hanh, Consul General of Vietnam in Hong Kong; John Kao, Vice President of Global Sources Hong Kong and Overseas Shows; and Sam Hui, Vice President of Global Resources Strategy and International Business, who jointly witnessed this important moment.

Onsite Summit Program

Phase 3 of the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows features a series of professional forums under the theme "Thriving Together: Novel Products for Active Folks and Little Ones." The event brings together industry representatives from the E-Commerce Association of Hong Kong, Pantone, Novelty Lane, SGS, Tech Packs Co, and others to explore industry development trends and share market updates. The forums cover various hot topics, including "PANTONEVIEW Colour Planner Autumn/Winter 2025/26 - Family," "The Rise of Fashion-Forward Active Apparel and Gear," and "Navigating the Latest Pitfalls for Selling Baby and Kids Products on Amazon." A highlight forum, "Champion's Choice: Elite Athlete Unveils the Winning Gear," features Ms. Pui Yin Yip, former Olympic badminton representative, sharing insights on athletes' preferred sports apparel and equipment, meeting buyers' needs for the latest market dynamics.

Focusing on Sustainable Development and Upgrading Digital Services

As consumers' awareness of environmental protection continues to strengthen, Global Sources Hong Kong Shows, as an internationally leading B2B procurement platform, actively practices ESG principles. From the meticulous layout of the exhibition hall to the orderly organization of events, it comprehensively implements measures for environmental protection and sustainable development. In these shows, Global Sources strongly encourages exhibitors to showcase their ESG labels, making it easier for buyers to identify and select suppliers that meet environmental standards. This initiative motivates suppliers to put environmental concepts into practice and jointly promotes the green development of the industry.

At the same time, the shows have launched the feature-rich Show Genie 2.0 APP, providing visitors with more convenient exhibition features. These include fast entry through QR code registration, a search function to quickly locate desired exhibitors and products, personalized exhibition routes, and online note-taking capabilities. This greatly enhances the exhibition experience for visitors.