The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism is recruiting Hawaii companies to promote and sell Hawaii-made products at the Autumn 2023 Tokyo International Gift Show, or TIGS.
This will be the 12th consecutive year that DBEDT is organizing a Hawaii Pavilion at TIGS, to be held from Sept. 6-8 at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight).
TIGS is the largest international trade show in Japan, drawing 200,000 buyers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers to meet exhibitors at more than 4,500 booths.
“Hawaii’s brand is known throughout the world and especially in Japan. There continues to be a growing demand for new and authentic Hawaii-made products,” said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. “Through TIGS, Hawaii exhibitors will have an opportunity to share their products with buyers and distributors and have a chance to expand their distribution in Japan. The aspirational value of the Hawaii brand is priceless in the global economy.”
Hawaii companies that participated in last year’s show achieved more than $5 million in export sales, even though Japan wasn’t fully open and recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to DBEDT.
“Buyers at TIGS know that Hawaii will be featured each year and look for our pavilion,” said Dennis Ling, administrator of DBEDT’s Business Development and Support Division. “Distributors, retailers and importers realize that the Hawaii brand is becoming more established and recognized for its quality and uniqueness in the Japan market.”
Registration for a full booth is $1,500. Deadline to apply is May 26.
The Hawaii Pavilion at TIGS is funded in part through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration State Trade Expansion Program.
The Hawaii Pavilion at TIGS is part of a series of initiatives DBEDT has undertaken to increase the export of Hawaii’s products. For more details, please visit https://invest.hawaii.gov/exporting/histep/.
Export-ready Hawaii companies interested in participating in the 2023 Tokyo International Gift Show can learn more and register at https://invest.hawaii.gov/exporting/tokyo-international-gift-show-tigs/.