Vaccinated visitors to the annual Hong Kong Food Expo can enjoy discounts and even free admission when the event makes its return next week after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but unlike in years past, sample tastings will be off the table.

Benjamin Chau Kai-leung, deputy executive director of the Trade Development Council, which organises the expo, expressed confidence on Wednesday that this year’s food fest would be a success, pointing to attendance at last month’s Book Fair and to the recently issued government e-vouchers currently burning a hole in Hongkongers’ pockets.

“Over 830,000 visitors attended the Book Fair last month, showing there is a public appetite for our coming expo,” he said. “The response from local exhibitors has been pretty decent too.”

More than 880 exhibitors are expected to take part in the five-day expo, which is slated to start on August 12.

Georgian Vine founder Connie Wong shows off her company’s honey on Wednesday ahead of the opening of this year’s Food Expo next week.

While sample tastings have been a hallmark of the event in the past, they will be banned this year in accordance with anti-pandemic measures. In fact, all eating and drinking will be forbidden inside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the event will be held.

“Hong Kong is fortunate to have had zero [local] cases for a long time now, but if people don’t follow the rules this could change at any time,” Chau cautioned. “Citizens must cooperate with this new norm.”

Those who have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine will be eligible for one of 10,000 free admission spots to be issued every weekday on a first come, first served basis.

A number of vendors will also offer discounts to shoppers who are vaccinated.

Capacity at the venue remains capped at 50 per cent, in line with the government’s anti-pandemic guidelines. About 450,000 and 510,000 people attended the food expo in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Over 80 per cent of exhibitors will be accepting the government’s newly issued consumption vouchers, distributed via four e-payment platforms, while the users of two of those services – Octopus and WeChat Pay HK – will also be eligible for exclusive discounts at the fair.

As with previous years, vendors will be offering HK$1 (13 US cents) mooncakes, egg rolls and more in flash sales.

All visitors who spend HK$200 or more on a single receipt can enter a daily lucky draw, with their chances of winning increasing in proportion to the amount they spend.

Though overseas exhibitors will not be able to fly in and participate this year, local representatives of the Korean Chamber of Commerce, the Japanese External Trade Organisation and more will be setting up booths to tout their countries’ specialities.

Super Star Seafood Restaurants Group will be selling abalones for HK$1 to its first 30 customers on the first day of this year’s Food Expo.

This year, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair will be held concurrently with the Food Expo for the first time.

The International Tea Fair, Home Delights Expo, and Beauty and Wellness Expo will also take place simultaneously at the same venue, as will the two-day International Conference of the Modernisation of Chinese Medicine and Health.

Separately, the Hong Kong Computer and Communications Festival will be held at the convention centre from August 20 to 23.

Around 200 exhibitors will be selling electronic goods, with virtual reality and immersive technology experiences on offer. The finals for the League of Legends Elite Cup and the FIFA 21 esports tournaments will also be held during the event.