Expo Season

Soon after House of Rajkarnicar announced the dates (20-24 April) for this year’s Himalayan Expo, its competitor Everest Exhibitions (P) Ltd. came out with its own announcement that its Tradex this year is to be merged into a new exposition, Nepal Business Expo, being held during 10-14 April.

Spring has generally been a season for expositions and fairs in Nepal. And over the years a number of firms have developed in the country which have been organising such events during various parts of the year. But as this spring is to experience one similar event following the other within a week and taking place at the same venue (Bhrikuti Mandap), the observers wonder whether both would be able to record a satisfactory success as one of them is very much likely to eat into the business of the other.

For the observers, it is interesting to see how both have been preparing to make their respective shows a success. The major difference has been in the focus of the expos. While the organisers of Himalayan Expo-2001 have promised their event to be a purely business –to – business (B2B) event as in the past, Nepal Business Expo-2001 is likely to be a collage of business expo mixed with elements of a carnival. Being organised by FNCCI together with Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Bhaktapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Nepal Business Expo is to coincide with Nepali new year (April 14) and the Industry-Commerce Day (10 April), the latter being celebrated by FNCCI from the last year. Thus this exhibition is expected to have plenty of space devoted to show the activities of various district chambers. And a number of recreational programs are to be offered to match the celebration mood.

Still, Everest Exhibitions, that had been organising Tradex for the last several years, and which has been appointed the co-organiser and manager of the first Nepal Business Expo this year, informs that this Expo will also have plenty of B2B events. It is to include "First Nepal Engineering Expo" being organised by Nepal Engineers Association and the "Agro-enterprise Display," an Agriculture Expo being organised by Agro-enterprise Centre. Moreover, it is also to host an Auto Show and Tourism Exposition.

In spite of being held soon after the FNCCI sponsored event, Himalayan Expo is not going to lose its importance, claim its organisers. If Nepal Business Expo is going to be more of a Nepali Expo, Himalayan Expo is going to be, as in the past, an international event. And the organizers of Himalayan Expo have reasons for the confidence. Their traditional partners in the Expo, such as Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NUSACCI), Nepal- Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NBCCI), Nepal- German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NGCCI) and the Embassies of USA, Britain and Germany, are still behind Himalayan Expo. So there will be expansive British Pavilion and USA Pavilion in this year’s Himalayan Expo, as they were there in the past. Similarly, the German Catalogue Show will be continued this year as well. Likewise, under the NSIC Techmart India over 30 Indian companies are expected to take part in Himalayan Expo-2001.