Collector's paradise: The "Living Earth 3" Folder Pack will be issued to commemorate the Hong Kong 2004 Stamp Expo, one of many innovative new products to be released during the show.

Valuable collections belonging to the China National Postage Stamp Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of History, the China National Philatelic Corporation and leading stamp collectors will be on display at the Hong Kong 2004 Stamp Expo.

Also known as the 17th Asian International Stamp Exhibition, the event will be held from January 30 to February 3 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Personalised stamps a popular draw

Another highlight will be "My Stamp", where purchasers can have their own images printed on a four-stamp sheetlet. This personalised stamp-printing service was a big hit with visitors to the last stamp exhibition in Hong Kong.

Visitors will also be able to witness the manufacture of a stamp thanks to on-site printing demonstrations by three security printers.

Unlike previous international stamp exhibitions in Hong Kong, the Expo will also encompass coins and notes. The theme of the international event is "Tourism".

More than 100 postal administrations, philatelic agents, security printers, stamp and coin dealers, philatelic publishers and stationery suppliers from around the world will participate.

Guided tours, seminars help visitors find their way

Guided tours in Cantonese, English and Mandarin will be offered throughout the Stamp Expo. Seminars will be held for students and stamp collectors. Admission is free.

The Hong Kong 2004 Stamp Expo is designed to cater for all ages and interests.

The Youth Corner, for example, will feature interactive games and DJ programmes related to stamps. The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department will have a booth promoting local eco-tourism, while Hong Kong Disneyland will promote its theme park, now under construction.

A series of innovative stamps and stamp-related products will be launched during the five-day event. They include:

* The Hong Kong Stamp Expo Tourism Series No. 3 to No. 6, to be issued consecutively starting from January 30.

* A Flip-flop Stamp Sheetlet to be issued on January 30 to commemorate the opening of the Expo. Two different auspicious wishes in Chinese can be read on the stamp, depending on the viewing angle.

* The 2003-2004 Philatelic Ambassador Kelly Chen Single CD & Stamp Pack to be issued on January 30. This will be a first time in Hong Kong that a CD and stamps have been issued together. The pack consists of a single CD of a song entitled "Stamp" and a souvenir cover with a personalised "My Stamp" of Kelly, along with other souvenirs.

* A Commemorative Collection of "Hong Kong 2004" Stamp Sheetlet & Banknote to be issued on January 30. This commemorates the participation of coin and banknote dealers for the first time in an international philatelic event in Hong Kong. It contains a stamp sheetlet of the Tourism Series No. 3 and a HK$10 Government-issued banknote. The stamp sheetlet and the HK$10 banknote will share the same prefix and serial number.

* The Prestige Collection of "Hong Kong 2004" Stamp Sheetlets & Banknotes to be issued on February 2. The Prestige Pack contains Tourism Series No. 1 to No. 6 stamp sheetlets and six HK$10 Government-issued banknotes. Each stamp sheetlet and banknote pair will be printed with the same prefix and serial number.

First-day covers for the new stamps to be issued during the Stamp Expo are now on sale at all post offices.

The Stamp Expo is under the patronage of the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately and is organised by Hongkong Post in joint collaboration with the Hong Kong Philatelic Society, China Philatelic Association and Tsim Sha Tsui Philatelic Club.

For more details, please visit the website.