【AFE Hong Kong 2024】Exploring the Funeral Industry's Journey of Transformation

The Asia Funeral and Cemetery Expo & Conference (AFE) in Hong Kong has made a comeback from the epidemic and was successfully held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in May. The three-day event attracted more than 2,500 buyers, visitors, associations, officials and funeral directors from 35 countries.

Organized by Brilliant Vertical Exhibition and supported by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), AFE aims to provide a platform for communication between the funeral industry of the East and the West, advocate new funeral concepts, promote new technology products and services, and achieve the goal of keeping pace with the times for the global industry.

This year, with the theme "Reunite, Fight Back", AFE showcased a comprehensive and diversified range of exhibits, including coffins and urns, monuments and stones, equipment and machinery, souvenirs, technology and services, accessories and materials, etc. It is worth mentioning that the exhibition site is full of eco coffins, digital technology funeral reform and other exhibits in line with the current trends.

In her address, Christine Pepper, Executive Director of the American Funeral Directors Association, said that funeral directors exist because bereaved families are unsure of what to do at this critical time of grief. She also presented an overview of global consumer research at the conference.

According to the American Funeral Directors Association, more than half of the world's population believes it is necessary to organize a funeral or memorial service for a loved one. Asian countries (78.1%), African countries (90.3%), North America (65.7%) and South America (80.1%).

In addition, the Association has also compiled the following statistics on the experience of attending a funeral: 48.7% of respondents have attended a funeral service combining a farewell ceremony and a burial, 23.9% have attended a funeral service combining a farewell ceremony and a cremation, 7.8% have attended a cremation, 6.3% have attended a burial and 4.4% have attended a simple funeral.

As the funeral industry continues to transform and innovate in recent years, the Asia Funeral and Cemetery Expo & Conference brought together more than 20 industry players to analyze the industry's development trends and share their observations and insights into the funeral sector.

Among them, Wang Jisheng, Executive Director of Fu Shou Yuan International Group Ltd, said that the funeral industry currently sees digitalization as an important direction of development and is currently considering digitalization in all aspects, from service to documentation.

The essence of funeral work is to preserve and pass on the spirit of the deceased. But what and how to preserve is exactly what today's funeral directors have to think about.

At the meeting, he analyzed the future trend and transformation model of China's funeral industry and explained on Fu Shou Yuan's technology strategy, hoping to work with the industry to develop a new dimension of digital life service in the funeral industry. From the physical space to the spiritual world, just as Fu Shou Yuan’s slogan: to beautify the mark, to thicken the record and to preserve the continuation of memories.

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