Ghana Trade Fair goes digital

This year’s 23rd Ghana International Trade Fair has seen a remarkable improvement in the area of digital technology by giving visitors the opportunity to register their details electronically.

The Ghana Trade Fair Company in collaboration with IVET and Zuba Shop (an online marketing company) have given a new face and a digital feel to this year’s all-important Trade and Exhibition fair.

This exposure seeks to give exhibitors both local and international the online presence to be able to promote their goods and services to the global market.

Mr Joseph Akaribo, Public Relations Officer of Ghana Trade Fair Company told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra that the initiative was in view of this years’ theme: ‘Made in Ghana, Globally Accepted’.

He said this year’s exhibition is aimed at showcasing Ghana to the world in order to attract international business relations and trade among merchants.

He added that, the digital registration process gives a data base for business relations to continue between exhibitors and customers even after the fair.

Mr Akaribo explained that right at the entrance, a visitor is made to fill a paperless form, which records the name, phone number, email address and source of income.

He said, ‘after reading the message, you follow the link, which will in turn generate a QR Code, which you can use to do business with the exhibitors. This code will help the traders have your details through which business can continue even after the fair.

Mr. Akaribo added that persons who are not able to make it to the fair can equally join through an online shopping platform known as Zuba Shop which is also a Ghanaian created platform.

He said about 600 and more exhibitors have been put on the platform.

Mr Samuel Harvey, the Head of Sales for IVET said to GNA that the digital registration at the gate also serves as a data base, which gives the organizers a fair idea of the number of visitors who will patronize the event.

He added that registration could also be done by dialing the short code; *713*99# to all networks.

The first International Trade Fair started modestly on February 1-9, 1967 under the Chairmanship of Air-Vice Marshal M. A. Otu, the then Trade Fair Committee Chairman.

The objective of the first International Fair was to enable Ghana and other African Countries display products, which would affirm the encouraging achievements of the developing nations of Africa.

The Fair received 17 foreign countries and seven African nations.

The fraternal relationships between these nations and Ghana have carried on over the years till its 23rd International Trade Fair.

Source: GNA