New features draw exhibitors & visitors to textile expos

04 Mar '13

3 min read

“No matter what kinds of exhibitions, we have to keep on bringing new features, new products to customers. The visitors and exhibitors will not be motivated year after year when each edition looks like the previous one”, says a top official of a textile and apparel trade fair organizer.

The 2008 global economic crisis and its fallout are a thing of the past. Most textiles and garment trade fair organiser’s, fibre2fashion spoke to, reported of a bounce back and also a rise in exhibitors, floor space as well as visitor numbers in the last three years.

However, these numbers have not come easily. Organizers have gone the extra length to attract exhibitors and visitors alike.

Messe Frankfurt GmBH for instance falls back on its strong global network. “We have 28 foreign subsidiaries, five branch offices, 52 international sales partners in all covering 150 countries,” says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.

Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd is of the opinion is that nowadays exhibitions are visitors driven. “Exhibitors sign up to meet new buyers and not because their competitors are partaking at a fair,” reveals Parry Chung, GM (Sales & Marketing) at Adsale.

He adds, “So, this leads us to focus, more on visitor promotion. We organise several business matching events for our exhibitors with local buyers. Exhibitors’ feedback has been excellent, since the pre-show events; help them proactively explore new markets.”

“No matter what kinds of exhibitions, we have to keep on bringing new features and new products to customers. Visitors and exhibitors will not be expected to stay motivated year after year when each edition looks like the previous one!”, he observes.

Hong Kong-based APLF Ltd makes it a point to remind visitors that a trade fair can be a hot bed of market intelligence vital for taking decisions and also organises seminars and fashion shows so as to round off and complete the trade fair experience for its visitors.

For those having second thoughts in participating in trade fairs in the current economic scenario, Ben Wong - Marketing Manager at Mega Expo says, “When times are tough, trade fairs work better for marketing budgets than any other media.

“Only a trade fair can generate direct sales while enhancing the company’s image, launch new products, research specific market sectors, build sales prospects and maintain relationships with existing customers. Exhibiting at the right trade fair can be one of the most efficient, effective and successful marketing tools available.

“No other form of marketing can bring together potential customers actively looking for suppliers and the opportunity to have face-to-face meetings in such a short space of time and that too at a single place,” he winds up by saying.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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