Fair exhibitors bemoan turnout
Foreign exhibitors at this year’s Nairobi international trade fair are complaining of low attendance at the Jamhuri grounds.
However, the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) played down the concerns of low attendance, insisting that the number of visitors has doubled compared to last year.
The reassurances did little to assuage the exhibitors.
“I have been here from Monday but all I can see are children. We have been assured by our hosts that the number of people will increase by tomorrow (Friday),” said Ms Josephine Katunzi, an organic products exhibitor from Tanzania.
Mr Charity De from Uganda also lamented the low turnout.
No deals
“We were expecting to seal deals with business people but it seems that we will just do a followup afterwards. Hopefully the show will peak before Sunday. Nairobi show is very important in the region although it seems very slow this year. I have not sealed any deal yet,” he said.
Ms Lilian Awinja, the membership and development manager of the East Africa Business Council, said although the turnout seemed low, those attending are enthusiastic to learn.
The main arena had only few people, most of them school children.
ASK Marketing and publicity officer Juliet Karung’o said the number of visitors had been increasing from Monday.
She said the numbers increased by 60 per cent on Monday compared to last year, and had gone up by a further 42 per cent on Wednesday.
She added that the number of exhibitors had also gone up from 290 in 2012 to 500 this year.