Barcelona's foremost Asian products trade show, Asian Expo Euro-Spain 2006, celebrated its debut at Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) on 23-26 February 2006, attracted more than 3,000 European and Asian buyers to experience this innovative sourcing platform.

Asian Expo Euro-Spain 2006 gathered more than 300 exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Korea, Singapore, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Japan, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, to showcase their brilliant products such as gifts and premium, watch and clocks, fashion accessories, toys, houseware, stationery, fashion, electronic products, etc. Having the overwhelming trend of introducing Asian products emerged in the EU market, the news of the first and biggest Asian products trade show aroused great interest of the manufacturing industries, and during the four show dates, 3,900 European and Asian buyers attended this unprecedented meeting for contacting new business and making order for the new stock in this most concentrated Asian products sourcing platform.

"This is a big leap for the Euro-Asian business in Europe, we used to travel around to visit the Asian suppliers, but this fair provides us one-stop service to meet the Asian partners, choose the newest styles of their manufacturing products and make business orders without spending much money and time on travel, and I can have better selection of the products among different exhibitors in the fair," said Mr Fernandez Perez, Spanish retailer of toys.

In addition to its innovative idea of bringing aggressive Asian entrepreneurs to penetrate the European market, best show dates is another reason for the success of this fair. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, an increase in both number of export and re-export usually recorded in the beginning of the year, especially in February, the number is even more buoyant at a peak of 30% to a near 40% increase. Therefore, Asian Expo Euro-Spain 2006 happened in mid-February, in order to cope with the best sourcing season and satisfy the great demand of the buyers.

In this fair, there were 80 per cent European, where the majority was the Spanish retailers of fashion accessories, electronic products, plastic products and art and crafts. Other visitors were normally from China, US and Africa, whom they have been doing business in Spain for more than a decade, and Asian Expo Euro-Spain does bring them a fresh concept of doing business.

Mr. Michael Tam, Managing Director of the organizer, Hongkong-Asia Exhibition (Holdings) Ltd. is quite satisfied with the result of this first-time event. "We have spent more than two years to organize this foremost trade show in Southern Europe, the popularity and positive feedback from the exhibitors and visitors have proved the success of this legend ... Certainly, we will strive for the best improvement of the show, in order to reinforce the effectiveness of this sourcing port and the mission of encouraging the Euro-Asian business," said Mr Tam.