28 May 2018

This year’s Business Botswana Northern Trade Fair has garnered low turnout and it has been attributed to low publicity according to exhibitors and those who attended the trade fair.

This emerged during a series of interviews with various exhibitors during the just ended trade fair which attracted 80 per cent of government departments exhibiting and just a few from the private sector.

One of the exhibitors, Ms Rebecca Gabolatse from Letlhakane in the Boteti Sub-district, whose business is tailoring and fashion designing, expressed unhappiness at the way the trade fair was planned.

“I had raised my hopes that I was going to market my business, but unfortunately things did not go the way I expected,” she said.

She attributed the low turnout to lack of advertisement by the organising committee, saying there were few advertising billboards around the city.

She said what disappointed her most was the last minute cancellation of the fashion show which was scheduled for Andasonia Hotel on May 25.

Another exhibitor from Gaborone, Mr Refilwe Nong, 24, whose business is to supply electronic equipment also shared the same sentiments with Ms Gabolatse, saying the show was never given full publicity.

“The fair was not explosive and mind blowing as one would have expected,” he said.

For his part, Mr Herbert Bagwasi from Tutume, whose business is Exclusive Kitchen Ware, also said the show lacked some spark.

He said the organisers should have advertised it some months before the actual event, adding that even the entertainment part of the show was not impressive.

However, Business Botswana Northern regional manager, Ms Eileen Van Der Est differed with the exhibitors, saying the show was given full publicity.

She said they ran jingles on various radio stations such as Duma FM, Yarona FM and Gabs FM, adding that preview stories were also carried out on various newspapers such as The Voice.

Ms Van Dr Est also explained that they distributed fliers across the city and that the show was also advertised through social media as well as through a moving trailer.

She attributed the low turnout to other competing events such as Toropo Ya Muka, and the cycling event which also took place at the same time with the fair.

She said the activities were crowed pullers and that they did not have any control over them, saying Business Botswana (north) would engage stakeholders so that there was no clash of events next time.

Regarding the eleventh hour cancellation of some events which were lined up such as the fashion show on May 25, Ms Van Der Est explained that only two exhibitors on the fashion design category participated, and that it was of no use to hold the event.

She said initially 10 exhibitors had confirmed their participation, but that due to last minute challenges they could not show up.

She said the two who participated were compensated by giving them free stalls to exhibit their products.

Regarding entertainment, she said they had hired a company from Gaborone to provide rides for children and that the company notified them at the last minute that it would not manage due to logistical challenges.

She said they ran helter skelter to find a replacement in Francistown but to no avail.

She explained that other activities such as the bike challenge went as planned and attracted more people.

Meanwhile, the overall award winner of the 2018 Business Botswana Northern Trade Fair went to Botswana Police Service (BPS).

The police also copped the first position under government departments beating the Office of the Ombudsman which got position two while the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry fell in position three.

The manufacturing category saw Safiwa getting position one while Rednest Incubators scooped position two. Position three went to Serowe Canvas and Tents.

Botswana Insurance Company got position one under the insurance category beating its two rivals Bllahwu Burial Society and Metropolitan Botswana who got position two and three respectively.

Under the retail category, Mont Catering and Refrigeration got position one followed by Forever living in position two while position three went to Capri Exclusive Home Ware. ENDS