Record Numbers For Africa Trade Week As Traders Look To Africa For Growth

Over 500 businesses from 67 countries travelled to South Africa for Africa Trade Week, looking to build business partnerships in Africa.

Over 500 exhibitors and 10,000 government and business stakeholders from 67 countries converged in Johannesburg for the first Africa Trade Week, where three key trade fairs were co-located to stimulate multi-sectoral trade across Africa.

Africa Trade Week, incorporating SAITEX, one of Africa’s largest and most well established trade exhibitions, Africa’s Big 7 for food professionals and The Hotel Show for the hospitality industry, recorded strong growth in international participation this year, with 22 additional countries participating in the event.

Lynn Chamier, event director at show organisers dmg events, says: “The strong growth in international participation reflects the keen interest we are seeing from around the world in finding new trade opportunities across the African continent. We had a great visitor and exhibitor growth this year, and we were delighted to welcome them all. We look forward to growing the shows from strength to strength.”

With up to 10,000 government officials, diplomats, entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world networking at the trade shows and engaging at the associated Trade Development Forum, FOODNEXT.AFRICA conference and Hospitality Leadership Forum, Africa Trade Week has become the continent’s premier trade development platform, and many exhibitors plan to return for the next edition, thanks to their successes this year.

Exhibitors reported outstanding leads and sales out of the event, with Africa’s Big 7 exhibitor Candice Oelofse, Sales Manager at African Maize Foods, saying: “We could barely keep up! We made over a million Rand in sales, of both products and franchises. Interest and business came from across the continent.”   

The Hotel Show exhibitor Chris Cradock, owner of Profile Creations, said: “We gained over 100 inquiries. It was valuable to networking with relevant industry brands and companies. Overall, we were absolutely blown away!”

SAITEX exhibitor Nadhida Fajandar, marketing executive at Shalamy Stationers, said: “We had a great show experience with at least 60 highly valuable business leads, and we benefited from the networking opportunities. Our expectations were surpassed.”  

The 67 countries represented at Africa Trade Week included: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt , Ethiopia , France , Germany, Ghana , Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria , Oman , Pakistan , Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Somalia , South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Swaziland , Switzerland, Syria , Taiwan, Tanzania , Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States Of America, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The next Africa Trade Week, incorporating SAITEXThe Hotel Show Africa and Africa’s Big 7, will be staged from 21 – 23 June 2020 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Stand bookings are now open. For enquiries please contact Dean Lundall at email: deanlundall@dmgevents.com

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