Consumer Fair attracts 68 more exhibitors
Pauline Dikuelo | Thursday August 20, 2015 18:00
In an interview with Mmegi Business, Fairground Holdings marketing and communications manager Thabo Mogomotsi said the number of exhibitors at this year’s fair has grown to 580. “This indicates that we are doing a great job because the numbers keep growing every year. One other thing that contributes to our growth is the implementation of the feedback that we usually get from our exhibitors, whether negative or positive,” she said.
According to Mogomotsi, for transparency purposes, they usually engage a consultant to conduct a survey from the exhibitors in which they then use the information to prepare for the upcoming fair. She added that as result of the feedback from the survey, this year they connected free Wi-Fi for all the consumers and exhibitors to use, as well as the introduction of the e-ticketing for purposes of convenience and efficiency.
“We also have a ‘restoring family links connection’, which is in partnership with the Red Cross, because we realised that through the show kids usually get lost and it has always been hard to locate their parents,” she said. Through this, children’s tags are written the parent’s mobile number and names so that they can easily be located.
Mogomotsi also said they have paved most of the outdoor areas as people always complained about the dust in the area.
“The Consumer Fair contributes to the socio-economic development of our country and promotes trade. Our intention is to promote and develop Small Medium Enterprises (SME) which are mostly our largest exhibitors,” she added. Mogomotsi added that the fair is an all-inclusive event to create an interactive forum between exhibitors and visitors in order to provide opportunities to diversify the economy from mineral-led growth.
One of the local exhibitors, Julia Baitshidi of Elsimate Institute said the Consumer Fair plays an important part in helping them market their products as it attracts a large crowd from all over the country. “We enrolled many people at our institution who we met during the Fair. Our management were happy and decided that we come and do so again this year because it was good for the business,” she said.
One regular exhibitor, Aditinya Rangaswamey who is a sales agent at business machines suppliers, Northern Fixtures said their sales increase annually after the fair, adding that it accords them an opportunity to introduce their potential customers to their products and services.
The Consumer Fair, which started on Monday, ends on Sunday. Adult’s ticket cost P30, while children enter for P15. Mogomotsi said the ticket price would not change for the next three years.