International trade shows and exhibitions remain a leading portal to finding buyers and suppliers – despite the escalating costs. According to Jardine Omar of the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), trade fairs in terms of the BRICS countries are crucial. “We understand that these shows and exhibitions cost a lot of money, but in certain countries – such as India and China for instance – they remain the best way to connect with buyers, investors and suppliers.” He said at the India International Trade Fair last year, the last day of the two week-long fair saw visitor numbers peak at 120 000. “And that was on a Sunday,” Omar told exporters at a Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry workshop recently. “Fairs and trade shows are therefore crucial.” This after several delegates raised their concerns about the escalating costs of these international missions which they said did not always result in trade and were therefore not necessarily value for money. Exporters said they were bringing back fewer and fewer leads from trade shows and missions and could find more value in a digital portal of some kind. According to Keith Brebnor, CEO of the JCCI, trade shows remained a very reliable way of connecting with people. “Exporters cannot stay away from these shows and exhibitions. They remain an important tool in the showcasing of their products.”
