Hong Kong quickly growing into global wine hub

Hong Kong is on track to become the premier wine hub of the Asia-Pacific region, thanks in large to the elimination of import duties last February, 2008.

The Special Administrative Regional Government of Hong Kong decided to do abolish the duty in hopes of encouraging wine imports and creating jobs in sales, marketing, storage and logistics.

Singapore which can be argued currently holds the title as Asia's wine hub is going to have to adapt to the arrival of new comer, Hong Kong, which has aspirations develop its own capacity to serve countries throughout the region, including countries in SE Asia which Singapore currently serves.

Since abolishing the duty, U.S Department of Commerce figures show that wine exports from the U.S alone rose by more than 500% year-on-year (Feb 2008-09).

Global wine imports reached $370 million in 2008, also clocking in impressive year-on-year growth of nearly 80%.

"Hong Kong has been a top three export market for U.S. wines ever since," California Wine Institute regional director for emerging markets Eric Pope said while speaking during an event held at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley where John Tsang, Financial Secretary for Hong Kong's Regional Government had gone to promote Hong Kong as a wine market hub.

He added that their vision was to make Hong Kong the platform for getting wine into other regions and for promoting wine market growth throughout Asia (click here to access a great article on this topic from the Indian Wine Academy).


It is clear global trade patterns in the wine industry have changed dramatically over the past few years. The simple scratching of duties in Hong Kong alone has had a dramatic effect on the wine markets in Asia. As India and China work to develop their own wine industries, as more places like Hong Kong open up to making trade easier and as the United States, Australia and New Zealand work to increase their market share--wine markets will again change quite dramatically.

As professionals in the industry it is up to us to keep up to date with the changes that and to constantly adapt our business plans and marketing strategies to cater to the ever changing tastes of consumers around the world.