Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd expressed: “Attracting 1,400 exhibitors and 70,836 buyers to the 2023 fairs, we successfully provided a much needed platform at the right time earlier this year for the industry to reconnect and engage during this critical period. Compared to recent years, we saw a strong growth in international participation at the 2023 editions. We were particularly delighted to welcome overseas delegations onsite, many of whom have already shown interest in returning again next year. Most pleasingly, the physical fair itself helped many international brands expand their exposure to the local Chinese market. As the global economy stabilises and cross-border travel resumes, we are expecting to see more international fairgoers joining in 2024.”
Ms June Wu, Marketing Manager, Deyi (Ningbo) Brand Management & Development Co Ltd, which represents the American toy brand TY, also gave positive feedback on the 2023 show: “This is our first time exhibiting at Toy & Edu China since the Chinese border reopened. Not only did we reconnect with our regular clients, but we also established connections with many new customers as well. Within just a single day, we received numerous orders accompanied by deposits from different channels.”
Linking three industries with the world
A recent report indicates that global toy market value is expected to reach USD 152.41 billion by the end of 2028, up from USD 109.25 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 6.10% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2028. One factor contributing to this growth is the rising role of toy sales through e-commerce channels[1]. Located in Guangdong province, one of the primary toy production and export bases in China, Shenzhen is home to many e-commerce and trading businesses – creating a promising visitor base of targeted buyers for exhibitors at Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China.
The city is also the most competitive manufacturing and trading base in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), according to the Standard Chartered GBA Business Confidence Index for the second quarter of 2023[2]. As a core GBA city, Shenzhen continues to demonstrate its competitiveness by attracting a high volume of local industry players, cross-sector professionals, international manufacturers and traders to Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China each year. With robust government support and its strategic geographic location, Shenzhen offers excellent accessibility for overseas and cross-regional companies attending this annual industry gathering that kicks off the sourcing season.
The hottest IPs from around the world in one place
Originally a licensing product zone within Toy & Edu China, Licensing China has grown to establish itself as a standalone fair since 2020, receiving significant recognition and attracting buyers from diverse fields such as toys, educational products, baby and maternity products, strollers, apparel, accessories, food and beverage, consumer electronics, stationery, theme parks, beauty products, retail and more. In its most recent edition, the returning Korean pavilion and the Korean IP Licensing Pitching Show successfully linked industry players from China and Korea onsite and fostered deeper and broader cooperation opportunities between the two groups. Welcoming its fifth edition next year, Licensing China will continue to provide a quality platform for suppliers to present their brands and products, while connecting them to their targeted buyers.
As an additional highlight this year, the ‘World of Play’ Summit will also be held concurrently with all three fairs. Influential association representatives and entrepreneurs from the toy, baby and licensing sectors around the world will be invited onsite to discuss global developments and trends during the summit.
Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China are organised by the Guangdong Toy Association, Guangzhou Li Tong Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. For more information, please visit:
Notes to editors:
Further press information and picture material:
https://shenzhen-international-toy-and-education-fair.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shenzhen/en/press.html
Follow the fairs on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/sztoybabyfair/
https://www.facebook.com/szlicensingfair/
https://www.twitter.com/sztoybabyfair
https://www.twitter.com/szlicensingfair
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRhpTeiKuooTcHftbk9vUQ
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,160 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2022 were around €454 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
[1] GII: Global Toy Market Factbook: Analysis By Product Type, By Age, Distribution Channel, By Region, By Country: Market Insights and Forecast. https://www.gii.tw/report/azo1283961-global-toy-market-factbook-analysis-by-product.html
[2] HKTDC: GBA Business Confidence Index eases to the 50 neutral mark, survey reveals recovery momentum intact. https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en/pressrelease/detail/20537/GBA%20Business%20Confidence%20Index%20eases%20to%20the%2050%20neutral%20mark
Download
- SZTF24-PR1-EN (pdf, 159 KB)