The Natural Products Expo Asia event, scheduled for June 18-20, 2003 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), has been rescheduled as a result of the ongoing uncertainty caused by the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong and worldwide.
The event will take place instead from December 3-5, 2003 at the same venue.
"We have every confidence that the governmental and medical authorities in Hong Kong will control and contain the SARS outbreak in the coming weeks, but have responded to requests from exhibitors, buyers, trade boards and associations to reschedule to later in the year as a result of personal health concerns and to ensure the continuing success of the event," said Scott Griggs, managing director for organisers New Hope Natural Media in Asia.
Natural Products Expo Asia attracted more than 4,000 buyers for its launch in May 2002, and exhibitor and buyer registration had been strong leading up to the SARS outbreak, according to New Hope.
"It's unfortunate that Hong Kong has been impacted by the SARS virus to the extent that it has, because we had already contracted 30 per cent more exhibitors than we had at our 2002 event, with two and a half months remaining until the June show dates," added Griggs.
Expo Asia is the most recent launch in New Hope Natural Media's events for the health and natural products industries. It also runs Expo West, held annually in Anaheim, California, Expo East (Washington, DC), and the upcoming Expo Europe event in Amsterdam (June 4-5, 2003 RAI Expo Center).