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Public education on trade fairs urgently needed
2006-09-22 08:44:56
By Editor
Trade fairs have been common business events since mid 19th century when industrialization in Europe had reached its acme.
Most notable trade exhibitions were organised in Germany, and used to draw participation from across the continent.
To-date, the need ’physical trade fairs’ in either Europe or America has been undermined by the emergence of, and unprecedented application information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Business promotion these days can easily and cheaply be carried out through the Internet or via video conferencing, but only where ICT infrastructure and its application have widely gained popularity.
Otherwise, the traditional style of organising trade fairs retains its significance in developing economies.
In Tanzania for instance, we have the annual Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) organised by the Board of External Trade (BET).
Unfortunately, the event has been taken by the public to meaning that it provides another special market season for purchasing provisions produced from foreign lands.
Contrary, the event provides a rare chance for domestic businesses to build contacts, learn new ways of doing things, and improvise technology as well as forging business partnerships.
Worst of all, it is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who seem to be absolutely unaware of the importance of trade fairs.
BET for instance, has offered to guarantee the burden of some costs for SMEs wishing to participate in the next month’s Nairobi Trade Fair. But the response has been poor, to the disappointment of BET.
This testifies the presence of a perception problem, which calls for an immediate implementation of public education focusing on the importance of trade fairs.
Tanzania Tea Blenders Limited has shown the way. Its tea and coffee products have crossed into Namibian groceries, having participated in a Trade Fair there recently.
The increasing speed of globalisation demands that we must survive in the midst of competitive waves. We cannot avoid promotional campaigns through trade fairs.
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