Three Hong Kong trade fairs covering lighting, smart-city infrastructure and environmental technology attracted approximately 62,000 buyers from 152 countries and regions, according to figures released after the exhibitions concluded.
The events were the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) 2026, the Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo 2026 and Eco Expo Asia 2026.
The organiser reported approximately 39,000 buyers at the Autumn Lighting Fair, more than 11,000 at the Outdoor and Tech Light Expo and over 11,000 at Eco Expo Asia. These figures represent aggregate attendance across the three exhibitions. Because visitors could attend more than one fair, they should not automatically be interpreted as 62,000 unique individuals.
Three Hong Kong fairs at a glance
| Exhibition | Exhibitors | Reported buyers | Main sectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong International Lighting Fair | Part of approximately 3,000 across the twin lighting fairs | Around 39,000 | Connected, commercial, residential and decorative lighting, LED displays |
| Outdoor and Tech Light Expo | Part of approximately 3,000 across the twin lighting fairs | More than 11,000 | Outdoor, industrial, architectural and smart-city lighting |
| Eco Expo Asia | More than 340 from 15 countries and regions | More than 11,000 | Environmental technology, renewable energy, waste management and green buildings |
The lighting fairs attracted exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions. Eco Expo Asia brought together 18 national, regional and institutional pavilions, including new ASEAN and Qinghai pavilions.
Buyer reach expanded, but total attendance remained stable
The three exhibitions also reported approximately 62,000 buyers in 2025, when visitors came from 141 countries and regions. The 2026 result therefore represents a wider geographical reach rather than a clear increase in total buyer attendance.
According to the 2026 results announcement, major visitor markets outside Hong Kong included the Chinese mainland, India, South Korea, the United States and ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.
For exhibitors, broader geographical representation can be commercially valuable even without higher overall attendance. A supplier looking for distributors in the Middle East, Southeast Asia or Latin America may benefit more from a smaller number of qualified international meetings than from a general increase in visitor numbers.
ChinaExpoHub’s earlier Hong Kong lighting fairs 2026 report covers the principal product zones and technologies presented at the two lighting exhibitions.
Survey signals confidence in smart lighting
An independent onsite survey interviewed more than 740 exhibitors and buyers at the two lighting fairs.
Among respondents:
- 63% expected lighting sales to increase over the following two years.
- 34% expected sales to remain unchanged.
- 86% considered the potential of smart lighting promising or very promising.
- 54% identified artificial intelligence as a leading driver of industry growth.
- 44% selected broader technological advancement.
- 43% selected smart-city development.
The Chinese mainland was identified as a promising market by 85% of respondents, followed by the Middle East and ASEAN, both at 84%.
These percentages describe the views of surveyed fair participants. They are not forecasts of actual market growth or regional sales. Onsite surveys may also attract companies already active and optimistic about the sector, so the results should be read as an indicator of industry sentiment rather than a representative study of the entire global lighting market.
The strongest product expectations centred on home automation and smart-lighting control systems, selected by 39% of respondents, and energy-efficient lighting controls, selected by 30%.
Connected lighting becomes a systems business
The survey results reflect a wider shift from selling individual lighting products towards supplying connected systems.
The Hall of Connected Lighting featured approximately 70 brands covering luminaires, sensors, controls, building integration and smart-home applications. Participants included international manufacturers and technology providers such as Signify, Casambi, TUYA, Inventronics and Viso Systems.
For buyers, this changes the procurement process. Comparing lamp output and unit price is no longer sufficient when a product forms part of a wider connected-building system.
Important questions include:
- Which communications standards and protocols are supported?
- Can products from different manufacturers work together?
- Is a proprietary gateway or cloud subscription required?
- What happens if internet access becomes unavailable?
- How long will software and security updates be provided?
- Who owns and controls building-usage data?
- Can the system connect with existing building-management software?
- Are installation, commissioning and staff training included?
A connected-lighting product may offer efficient control and useful operational data, but dependence on one supplier can create long-term maintenance and replacement risks.
LED displays extend the fair beyond conventional lighting
The Autumn Lighting Fair introduced a new LED Display Solution Zone covering video walls, transparent displays, flexible panels and integrated conference systems.
The addition expanded the event’s buyer base beyond traditional lighting importers and designers to include audiovisual integrators, retailers, venue operators and corporate technology buyers.
Ledman Hong Kong reported that it met approximately 100 customers per day and was negotiating potential orders worth US$800,000. The company also identified a possible distributor in Panama.
These figures were provided by the exhibitor and describe discussions or orders under negotiation, not necessarily completed transactions. Buyers and media should distinguish contact numbers, sales leads, order intentions and signed contracts when evaluating fair results.
Other exhibitors also reported international leads. Signify said it identified between 20 and 30 buyers with strong cooperation potential during the first two days, while Zhongshan SUFN Lighting Technology reported connections with more than 200 new international customers over three editions of the fair.
Outdoor lighting attracts project-based buyers
The Outdoor and Tech Light Expo covered three principal areas:
- Smart Pole and Solution
- Outdoor, Industrial and Technical Lighting
- Landscape and Architectural Lighting
Photovoltaic and energy-storage solutions were added to the 2026 exhibition, reflecting the growing connection between lighting, distributed power and smart-city infrastructure.
Zhejiang Fonda Technology reported meeting potential customers from Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia and forecast more than US$1 million in sales generated through the exhibition.
A Czech engineering buyer said it identified two potential suppliers of façade lighting and solar bollards, with plans to source approximately US$3 million in products for future projects.
Again, these are company-reported expectations rather than independently verified completed orders. Nevertheless, the examples indicate the scale of project opportunities being discussed at the fair.
International buyers evaluating outdoor lighting should consider:
- Required ingress-protection and impact-resistance ratings
- Local electrical and radio-frequency certification
- Wind-load and structural requirements
- Photometric performance
- Battery chemistry and replacement costs
- Solar performance under local weather conditions
- Remote-management and cybersecurity arrangements
- Spare-parts availability
- Installation and warranty support
Eco Expo Asia attracts more international participation
Eco Expo Asia 2026 hosted more than 340 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions and attracted over 11,000 buyers, according to the organiser.
Its programme focused on four areas:
- Green Energy in Motion
- Frontier Green Tech
- Building for a Greener City
- From Waste to Worth
More than 30 forums and thematic sessions attracted over 4,400 visits. The organiser also reported visits from more than 300 government officials and representatives of semi-official organisations.
ChinaExpoHub’s Eco Expo Asia 2026 article provides a more detailed breakdown of the environmental technologies and sourcing areas presented at the exhibition.
ASEAN Pavilion creates regional sourcing connections
The new ASEAN Pavilion brought together 12 environmental-technology companies from seven countries:
- Singapore
- Laos
- Malaysia
- The Philippines
- Indonesia
- Thailand
- Vietnam
The pavilion covered areas including sustainable packaging, waste management, recycling and other green technologies.
A Vietnamese bioplastics company reported discussions with buyers from the Chinese mainland, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines. One possible Dubai partnership was estimated by the exhibitor to represent up to US$200,000 in annual orders.
A Singapore waste-management buyer identified potential suppliers of food-waste machinery, recycling equipment and plastic-processing technology, with a stated potential purchasing budget of US$1.2 million.
A Jordanian company reported plans for an initial battery order valued at between US$300,000 and US$400,000, subject to further evaluation and market response.
These examples show buyer intent, not confirmed exhibition sales. Product testing, supplier verification, contracts, financing and regulatory approval may still be required before orders proceed.
GoGlobal Connect supports overseas expansion
Eco Expo Asia introduced the GoGlobal Connect Zone to help Chinese mainland environmental companies explore international markets through Hong Kong.
The zone connected manufacturers with professional-service providers and representatives from overseas markets. Activities included discussions involving businesses and organisations from Hong Kong, Central Asia and ASEAN.
Lihe Technology reported that a memorandum signed through the previous edition contributed to its entry into Kazakhstan and a gas-monitoring project valued at US$2 million. The company returned in 2026 to promote water-quality analysis technology and meet prospective customers from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand.
This is one of the more commercially significant results in the release because it describes a project that progressed beyond an initial exhibition conversation. Even so, the organiser’s account does not provide information about project completion, revenue recognition or the exact role played by the exhibition.
For Chinese suppliers, Hong Kong may provide access to certification, finance, legal advice, arbitration and international business networks. Companies still need to assess the regulations, procurement requirements and local support needs of each destination market separately.
Government participation creates B2G opportunities
Eco Expo Asia included government representatives and public-sector procurement sessions covering environmental technology, building efficiency and infrastructure.
Manufacturers attending these sessions could learn how Hong Kong specifications and procurement requirements differ from those in the Chinese mainland.
For international companies, government participation may provide insight into future demand. It should not be interpreted as preferential access to contracts. Suppliers will still need to meet tender, certification, technical and data-security requirements.
Companies offering connected environmental equipment should be prepared to explain:
- Where data is stored
- Who can access operational information
- Whether data can be exported
- How equipment integrates with government systems
- Which cybersecurity standards are followed
- How performance claims are measured and verified
Online matching remains open after the physical fairs
The physical exhibitions have closed, but the organisers’ Click2Match platforms remain available for follow-up discussions.
- Eco Expo Asia online matching: Until 5 November 2026
- Lighting fair online matching: Until 6 November 2026
Exhibitors should use the remaining period to prioritise qualified leads rather than sending the same sales message to every scanned contact.
A practical follow-up should include:
- A reference to the onsite discussion
- The specific product or project discussed
- Technical documents requested by the buyer
- Indicative pricing and delivery information
- Certification relevant to the buyer’s market
- A proposed date for the next meeting
- Clear responsibility for the next action
Buyers should use online matching to request missing specifications, compare shortlisted suppliers and arrange product testing.
What the results mean for international buyers and exhibitors
The 2026 results point to four commercially relevant developments.
1. International reach widened
Total attendance remained similar to 2025, but the number of represented countries and regions increased from 141 to 152. This suggests a broader sourcing network rather than simple volume growth.
2. Smart lighting is becoming more integrated
Buyer interest is moving towards controls, automation, building integration and energy management. Suppliers will increasingly compete on interoperability and software support as well as physical product design.
3. Middle Eastern and ASEAN markets remain priorities
Survey respondents identified the Middle East and ASEAN among the most promising markets. Exhibitor accounts also reported leads from these regions, although future sales are not guaranteed.
4. Green technology is becoming more international
The ASEAN Pavilion, GoGlobal Connect Zone and government participation expanded Eco Expo Asia’s cross-border role. Environmental companies appear to be using Hong Kong for both sourcing and overseas market development.
Final assessment
The headline figure of 62,000 buyers confirms that Hong Kong’s autumn lighting and environmental exhibitions continue to attract a substantial international audience. However, total attendance was unchanged from 2025, and overlap between the three fairs means the number should not be presented as 62,000 unique individuals.
The more important development is the increase from 141 to 152 represented countries and regions, combined with stronger programmes for smart lighting, ASEAN cooperation and the international expansion of green-technology companies.
For buyers, the fairs provided access to a broad supplier base across lighting, smart-city infrastructure and environmental technology. The next step is supplier verification, technical comparison and structured follow-up.
For exhibitors, the reported order values demonstrate commercial interest but should be treated as leads, forecasts or negotiations unless contracts and payments have been completed.
More sourcing exhibitions can be found in the China trade show calendar.
