Europe CommitteeIncoming Visitors

It was a pleasure to welcome Pertti Jalasvirta, Chairman of the Finland-Hong Kong Business Association and HKTDC Nordic Consultant, and James Chen, Vice Chairperson of Finnish Chamber of Commerce, to the Chamber on 11 June.

The Finnish-speaking Nordic region is an ideal investment destination especially in the fields of environmental technology and innovations, said Chen. The delegation briefly introduced plans for launching a match-making platform to help connect Hong Kong and Nordic companies.

HKGCC Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros, Vice Chairman CK Lee and Director of Public Relations & Programs Malcolm Ainsworth discussed the work of HKGCC and the opportunities for collaboration, such as events and get-togethers to help businesses on both sides connect.

It was a full house for HKGCC’s first-ever cocktail reception with European alumni at Hong Kong Club’s Garden Lounge. Over 150 people from 11 of Europe’s top universities and business schools, came together for engaging conversations and new connections. A big thank you to the alumni associations and coordinators of Cambridge Judge Business School, ESSEC HK Alumni Group, French Alumni Association Hong Kong, HEC Paris, ICEX, IESE Business School, IE University, INSEAD Hong Kong Alumni Association, LSE Alumni, Oxford Business Alumni and Sciences Po.

Also a special thank you to Alfonso Ballesteros, Chairman of HKGCC’s Europe Committee, for initiating the idea and for being the gracious host. Chamber Chairman Agnes Chan led a toast to ever stronger relations between Hong Kong and European countries, along with Professor Heiwai Tang, Associate Dean (External Relations) HKU Business School and the Europe Committee leaders.

Find more photos on our Facebook album.

Business travel spending is regarded as a vital indicator of business growth, with business travellers accounting for 50% of global airline revenues. As one of the world’s foremost online travel agencies, Trip.com Group plays a significant role in this domain. Within the Group are several prominent travel technology companies in Europe, including Travelfusion, Skyscanner and Travix.

Delving into the key business travel trends in Asia and the potential implications for Hong Kong companies engaging in business in Europe, Sherwin Dai, GM of Greater China, Corporate Travel – Trip.Biz, Ctrip International Travel (Hong Kong) Ltd, spoke at the Chamber’s Europe Committee meeting on 21 May.

Dai predicted a steady growth in business travel spending worldwide over the next three to five years, with China and the United States emerging as the largest markets. The primary purpose of travel among European business travellers is attending seminars or training, followed by conventions and conferences.

As the super-connector between China and the world, Hong Kong possesses the right talent, skills, and knowledge to facilitate the global expansion of mainland companies, presenting numerous opportunities for local firms, Dai added.