500 Exhibitors to showcase at 18th trade fair
More than 500 exhibitors are expected to participate in the 18th Ghana International Trade Fair scheduled for February 27 to March 10, 2014 in Accra.
Advertisement
The annual fair, under the auspices of the Ghana Trade Fair Company (GTFC), also anticipates 250,000 visitors at the fair on the theme: “Development through trade and investment.”
All things being equal, the GTFC expects to rake in about GH¢200,000 as profit from the upcoming event which was once the biggest event on the annual calendar of the country.
The Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the GTFC, Nana Kwame Ofori Amanfo, told the media in Accra last week that the company was expecting to raise GH¢800,000 out of which GH¢600,000 would go into expenditure to run a successful fair.
So far, the GTFC has been able to sell 115 of its exhibition slots with 133 reservations, three weeks ahead of the fair, a situation the company feels amused about, because to the organisers, it implies that they are on course to meet their target with further campaign and sensitisation.
Fair not for sales
Unlike previous exhibitions where exhibitors come to sell products, Nana Kwame Ofori Amanfo said this year’s exhibition would focus on making contacts.
According to him, fairs are for establishing contacts, promoting goods and services, boosting the corporate image of exhibiting companies, something he said was the premise on which sales would be made after the fair.
The fair will thus provide a doorway to Ghana’s growing markets, promote made-in-Ghana goods and services, create and build awareness of the local businesses and generate interest and excitement for the fair among the target audience.
New face of the fair
According to a Public Relations Officer of the GTFC, Mr Frank Ntiamoah, the 18th Ghana International Trade Fair is focused on showcasing innovative business initiatives from Ghana to the rest of the world.
Such innovations, he explained, would be showcased to both foreign and local investors who would throng the fair, in a bid to boost local businesses.
One incentive to be introduced at the fair also include the allocation of free exhibition spaces to businesses that have innovative ideas or businesses to show to the rest of the world.
These will come from people such as students in the polytechnics who come up with new ways of doing things but have no money to buy exhibition space.
Also planned to ensure a successful fair are business seminars, networking cocktails and product launches for companies which wish to take advantage of the fair to introduce their products.
There will also be the entertainment bit, including musical shows, 5-aside football games and children playground amidst other side attractions to draw people to the fair.