Hong Kong has been named the exclusive Asian host city of LEAP East, the Middle East’s flagship technology exhibition, from 2027 to 2029, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said on July 10.
The deal points to the growing commercial bridge between the Gulf and Asia, with Saudi Arabia exporting its flagship tech brand eastward and Hong Kong using high-value business events to rebuild its position as a MICE destination after years of disruption.
LEAP East made its Asian debut in Hong Kong over three days from July 8 to July 10, drawing more than 25,000 participants, 55% of them non-local, according to the HKTB, which has partnered with the organiser to secure the city as host for three further years.
The event marks the first global expansion of Saudi Arabia’s LEAP technology conference into Asia. “Hong Kong’s unique position as a melting pot of Chinese and international cultures, together with its status as a world-class MICE and tourism destination, makes it a vital bridge connecting the Chinese Mainland, the Asia-Pacific region and global markets,” said Mike Champion, chief executive of organiser Tahaluf.
HKTB chairman Peter Lam said the partnership affirmed Hong Kong’s status as a hub for innovation and a “super-connector”. He said LEAP East’s debut, alongside the earlier Consensus Hong Kong and Hong Kong Web3 Festival, had made the city a convergence point for three of the world’s top innovation and technology events.
More than 100 major international MICE events were held in Hong Kong in the first half of 2026, Lam said. Upcoming events include the World Cancer Congress, the World Congress of Food Science and Technology and the IFLA 2026 world congress.