Consumer fair goes digital

The 2013 consumer fair has tapped into technology through the use of web tickets to avoid the long queues that often characterise the event. The web tickets that are already on sale at Kgale and Riverwalk Spar are also expected to raise the number of attendance from 60 000 to 65 000 visitors this year.

Speaking during a press briefing, Fairgrounds Holdings Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Montshiwa said members of the public have often complained about the long queues experienced during the consumer fair. “We hope this new development will attract more visitors to the fair and avoid the delays at the entrance.” He said the fair has on average grown by 3-8 percent this year compared to the previous ones. There will be 500 stalls, 387 exhibitors, 30 local manufacturers, 15 foreign exhibitors and nine participating countries.

“The number of local manufactures has grown by 10 and foreign exhibitors have also slightly increased by 2 percent,” he said. The consumer fair offers a window for business ideas, which could lead to entrepreneurial opportunities and job creation to further boost government efforts to diversify the economy. “It supports a large sector of the Small to Medium Micro Enterprises through its one week duration by engaging various local suppliers,” he said adding that local cleaning, security and catering companies benefit greatly from the fair. Vice president Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe will officiate during the prize giving ceremony scheduled for July 25.