BOCCIM looks for new opportunities at BNTF
Pini Bothoko | Thursday May 15, 2014 16:33
Speaking on the BOCCIM Northern Trade Fair (BNTF), the organisation public relations officer Patience Lebotse said they believe that for the economy to grow and expand away from mining and beef, they have to look at the sectors that offer new opportunities for expansion.
Hence, said Lebotse, they have employed extensive marketing, fully utilising the BOCCIM database and working with the Botswana Chamber of Commerce, to get their members to participate at the fair.
She said over the years the public interest has increased and more exhibitors in the SADC region have shown interest to exhibit.
She said that just like last year they are expecting more than 150 exhibitors and there will be awards at the end of the show.
Last year the exhibitors were judged under different categories namely manufacturing, banking, education, agriculture, hotel and catering, information technology, parastatal organisations, textiles, construction, media houses, and government departments. Those who excelled were given awards to take part at the international trade fair held at Gaborone later that year.
BOCCIM said they were exposing the winners to competition at national and international levels. That fair had attracted over 192 exhibitors, prompting the acting public relations head Vincent Mogojwa to remark that it was one of the best fairs ever.
This year, a committee comprising stakeholders from Francistown and BOCCIM is coordinating the fair. Lebotse said they are expecting exhibitors from the SADC region, private sector, government, parastatals and SMEs.
Lebotse said that this year, there would be water bowsers that will be sprinkling water around the ground occasionally to curb the excessive dust which has been a source of discomfort to many.She said that a gravel road leading from the main road to the exhibitor's stalls is also being prepared to reduce the dust.