EXHIBITORS THREATENS TO BOYCOTT GHANA TRADE FAIR

Exhibitors at the on-going 15th Ghana International Trade Fair have lamented the poor patronage by the public. According to some of the exhibitors, they might not register in subsequent fairs if ‘administers to not wake from their sleep’.

They attribute it to poor publicity by the organizers. The fair, an opportunity for exhibitors to conduct brisk business, has been on-going for the past four days but has recorded little or no impact.

Some of the exhibitors who spoke to Adom News blamed the Ghana Trade Fair Company for not doing enough to advertise the event.

They claim huge amounts of money were charged by the organizers without putting measures in place for them to plough back their investments.

Some of the patrons were also critical of the exhibitors. One of the patrons said exhibitors think the fair is only about selling, but sometimes it's an opportunity to advertise their products and to establish business contact, he added.
Exhibitors also lamented the GHC2 tickets gate proceeds stating that the tickets drive customers and investors away.
Sellers do not patronize the fair because of the sale of tickets at the gate, one exhibitor stressed.
Most of them go to the shopping Mall and other shops to purchase goods and products.

Meanwhile, the Chief Marketing Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Center Yaw Seth Asamoah confirmed the low patronage but explains that management will be meeting with stakeholders to revamp the fair.
Commenting about the gate proceeds charged at the gates, Mr Asamoah stated that due to the high cost of electricity and other amenities at the venue they have been forced to charge gate fees.
According to him, the trade fair will virtually collapse it the company decides to make it free.
However, he states that management is considering abolishing the gate proceeds at the gate and that they will rather increase the cost of participation at the pavilions.