The just ended 28th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) pulled crowds of visitors. Talking from the previous experiences, visitors regard the fair as a shopping bazaar. Do you think it is possible for the organizers (BET) to turn the DITF exclusively to its objective rather than a shopping festival?

NO. I think it is not possible for the organizers to turn DITF into what it was intended for. This is because the exhibitors cultivated a perception that all goods displayed there were sold at cheaper prices than in the markets. As such, all visitors flocked to the grounds in search of cheap commodities. This was contrary to the real objectives of the fair, which were to display products, and sign deals for future business transactions.
Eliud Mgoo – Businessman.

NO. I think it is very difficult to ‘reverse’ the situation from what people are now used to. The exhibitors in encouraging sales of showcased goods make this difficult. Most probably their aim is to offset the expenses incurred as fees paid to organizers, allowances paid to exhibition assistants and other expenses. What I think is required is that the organizers should impose some conditions such as conducting sales at the end of the exhibitions otherwise the trade fair will continue to be a bazaar.
Clementine Josephat – Manager.

YES. It is quite possible for the organizers (BET) of the DITF to try and reverse the situation; from a shopping bazaar to a trade fair. First of all, they should organize as many shopping festivals as possible. A good example is India (New Delhi) where shopping festivals are often organized and the prices of goods are lower than in shops. This will make the shoppers get used to the shopping festivals and no longer flock to shop at the DITF. Also, DITF exhibitors should not be allowed to sell their products till the last day of the fair.
Hussein Khamisi – Book Vendor.

NO. It is not easy to instil to the people a sense of understanding or classify between a trade fair and a shopping festival. However, a special practice can facilitate this change. For example, exhibitors should display goods that are not up for anyone to buy but rather display items that can only be acquired by striking deals of a couple of million shillings. Another strategy is to construct a separate ground, which can be specifically used as a bazaar that can be subsidized by the government to bring down the prices.
Jamilla Hamdan Mahmood – Development Officer.

Compiled by Timothy Kitundu.