INSIDE TRACK
The expo industry in South Africa
An insider’s view The exhibition industry in South Africa is showing no signs of slowing down. Whether you’re the kind of exhibition-goer who looks forward to MamaMagic, HuntEx, the Vodacom rAge Expo or SA Fashion Week, there’s an exhibition going on at some point in the year that serves just the right niche for you. By Craig Newman, chief executive officer, Johannesburg Expo Centre
T
estament to the rising fortunes of these events in South Africa is the recent Vodacom rAge Expo, which saw thousands of likeminded people turning out to indulge their unique interests in toys, gaming, fantasy, technology and pop culture. The niche toys and games market is rapidly expanding. In fact, PR Newswire predicts a Compound Annual Growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6 per cent in toys and games between now and 2025. There was palpable evidence of this growth at Vodacom rAge, with several exhibitors reporting that they did so well, they had run out of stock by day three of the event. That’s just one example of a powerful niche market that’s
gaining ground year-on-year. Exhibitions are uniquely focused marketing opportunities that bring the target market to exhibitors, allowing them to network with a captive audience and to nurture ongoing relationships.
Expo trends now It’s not just toys and games that are on the rise. Overall, the exhibition circuit is successfully capitalising on consumer interest, even in an economy that has seen better days. Smaller-scale exhibitions are doing well too. For example, broadcasting, entertainment and communications technology expo, Mediatech Africa, attracted 7525 visitors to
22 Business Events Africa October 2019
its 2019 event. That’s six per cent up from the previous year. The expo had 701 brands on display from 148 exhibiting companies – an impressive number of exhibitors, which certainly played an important role in increased attendance. Quality exhibitors remain the key drawcard at any event. At niche events, this is especially important. If you would like to attract discerning buyers to your event, it’s imperative that you are discerning about the quality of your exhibitors, because the information age has made consumers pickier than they’ve ever been. That said, South Africans do love a good exhibition. In a country with www.businesseventsafrica.com
