PRESS OFFICE: Exhibition Management Services

For over 20 years, the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) has attracted thousands of business visitors from around the world, and more arrive every year. SAITEX has a massive following in local and overseas markets, with visitors from 72 countries attending last year’s show – 38% more than in 2014. Show organisers predict another record-breaking SAITEX in 2016, which takes place from 19 to 21 June at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, South Africa.

“Economic cycles boom and dip all the time, and top business champions take it in their stride,” says SAITEX organiser John Thomson. “Even when times are tough and markets are pessimistic, business owners and entrepreneurs double their efforts to find or create exciting new products, and discover new customers and markets eager to do business.”

Despite current gloom and doom regarding dipping rand exchange rates, rising interest rates, low GDP growth estimates and the myriad of other market indicators, millions of consumers in Africa and around the world will always want and need quality products, goods and services.

“SAITEX 2016 is already attracting massive interest from both regular exhibitors and many new local and overseas companies keen to explore opportunities in African countries,” continues Thomson.

“The worst time to stop marketing activity is when business is slow,” says Thomson. “All successful business owners know that tough times call for positive action. Not surprisingly, SAITEX exhibition space at Gallagher Convention Centre is filling up fast!”

A hallmark of SAITEX is its extraordinary variety. Tens of thousands of products in hundreds of categories were displayed by over 590 companies from 49 countries last year.

“However, SAITEX is known as much more than just a showcase of retail products,” explains Thomson. “It’s a versatile, multifaceted marketing platform and networking hub ideally suited for doing business in, and with, Africa.”

Exhibitors and delegates use SAITEX to discover new markets, products, suppliers, service providers and customers – and to network with like-minded people in the many market categories and sectors it represents.

“We already have confirmation from major stakeholders India and Taiwan of their participation in this year’s show, with substantially increased space bookings,” continues Thomson. “Hong Kong has also confirmed its pavilion again for this year, and there have been exhibitor enquiries from countries never seen at the show before, such as Ecuador.”

Strong African participation

One of the biggest reasons for the show’s ongoing success is its positioning as an international springboard into Africa. Last year, 27 African countries had companies exhibiting at the show.

“SAITEX is a highly cost-effective platform for African companies to do business with the rest of the world, simply because the world comes to SAITEX, all in one place at the same time, to do business in Africa. Of course, SAITEX is also perfectly placed for intra-Africa business – a growing trend at the show.”

Visitors sign up early

With five months to go, visitors are already signing up with SAITEX’s online registration facility, unusual and encouraging for this time of year, according to Thomson. Over 13 500 visitors attended last year’s show.

“The visitor demographic for SAITEX reflects an interesting mix of entrepreneurs, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, agents, importers, wholesalers and exporters,” says Thomson. “If you add the exhibitor and visitor statistics for SAITEX’s sister show – Africa’s Big Seven food and beverage expo – to the cooking pot, it delivers an astounding feast of business opportunities for all participants, and that’s what SAITEX and AB7 is all about.”

For more information contact Anina Hough, Exhibition Management Services.

Tel: +27 11 783 7250
Fax: +27 11 783 7269
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.exhibitionsafrica.com

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About Exhibition Management Services

South Africa-based Exhibition Management Services (EMS) is one of the longest established event organisers in the country and is the only events company on the continent with years of experience in delivering Pan African exhibition programmes.

With nearly 30 years of networking in Africa, EMS’s database is unique in the industry and enables the unrivalled identification, notification and participation of qualified international trade visitors to its events.