THE Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) has recorded a drop in the number of people that attended the show this year.
The 50th ZITF started on Wednesday, July 2, this year and ended on Tuesday this week running under the theme ‘Showcasing 50 years of business transformation and development’.
ZITF marketing manager Moses Chitoshi said in an interview yesterday that the fair had recorded a drop in the number of attendance from 105,372 last year to 90,550 this year. This represents a reduction of 14 per cent.
Mr Chitoshi however said the ZITF had recorded an increase in the number of exhibitors.
He said 453 exhibitors were local and 91 were foreign bringing the number of exhibitors to 544.
This represents an increase of 17 per cent in comparison to last year.
The countries that participated were the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Syria, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.
“The increase in the number of local and foreign exhibitors is attributed to our marketing efforts like our door-to-door campaign and the efforts of the Zambian missions abroad,” Mr Chitoshi said.
Meanwhile, some exhibitors spoken to said they were happy with the organisation of the fair and that they had achieved what they had come to do.
Others however, called for improvement. Hydraform Key account manager Nalini Naidoo from South Africa said they had achieved what they had come to do.
A Tanzanian exhibitor however said she and her team had not reached their target. Hand of Products of Tanzania chairperson Esther Lugoro said the ZITF management had work to do to ensure that more Copperbelt residents attended the event.
Ms Luguro said the rent for the exhibiting stands was high and not as many people as the previous trade fairs went to the show.
Some show goers were happy with the exhibitions while others called for reduction in gate fees as that had negatively affected the numbers in the fair.
The Zambia Red Cross said it had attended to more than 150 people between Sunday and Tuesday.
ZRC publicity and information officer Potipher Chumamunda said their stand had not had any critical cases and it had recorded a drop in the number of diabetic and high blood pressure cases as compared to last year.
The cases for this year were predominantly cuts from sharp objects and those that collapsed because of exhaustion.
at the official opening of this year’s International Trade Fair in
Ndola
during this year’s ZITF in Ndola
International Trade Fair in Ndola
Who was the guest of honor? Who opened the show officially?
i am not suprised hat the numbers are down. look at the last photo. what can motivate an international company to come to a show where people are selling things on the floor which they see on Lumumba road and other roads?
Even a normal Sunday market here has better stalls than this so call ZIT fare. Mu Zambia we have useless leaders in key positions. look at the tar mark in the show grounds. my foot. This place is now just good for advertising Nigerian Ps Chris
sorry, meant fair not fare
….clear indicator of ‘less money in people’s pockets’….
….the technical equation would be …the increase or decrease of number of people in attendance is direct proportion to the increase or decrease to money in peoples pockets respectively….
…so, the one compiling the annual assessment form for ABC (Minister of Finance), part VII… KEY RESULT AREA, sections ‘P’ AND ‘F’ which states…. ‘improvement in peoples economy and welfare’…. should be marked/given ‘D’ grade…below average
No money in our pockets 🙁
#OneZambia
It’s the organisers who lack proper management skills. Seems they don’t even have educated Event Managers? Surely people in charge of the Hospitality Industry could have put their talent and education to use here and targeted an International Market. These pictures clearly show a “We Don’t Care attitude”.