DITF fails to attract foreign visitors

Even though local visitors flocked to Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2023 at the weekend, the presence of foreign visitors was very thin.

Traders claimed that the foreign visitors don’t visit the fairground due to a lack of congenial environment, proper campaign and good management.

During a visit to the fairground from 2.30 pm to 6 pm on Friday, this correspondent did not see a single foreign buyer.

While talking to The Business Post, assistant manager of Hatil furniture Jahirul Islam said they received a very few foreign visitors since last 27 days of the fair.

“But many Bangladeshi expatriates came to our stalls and booked orders for our products,” he added.

“To attract foreign visitors at the fair, the organisers must ensure a congenial environment for them. Brand and non-brand companies should not be mixed under the same pavilions,” he also said.

Jahirul said the organisers should lay emphasis on congenial environment and bring discipline in the fair.

“Now people look for better things. A good campaign is also needed to attract foreign visitors here as well,” he pointed out, adding that their sales are good as they have an enough quality of furniture items.

Divisional manager and also sales-in-charge of the fair at Minister Hi-Tech Park Limited Taibur Rahman told The Business Post that he sold a refrigerator to a Netherlands citizen who came with a Japanese national at their stall on Friday.

Earlier, several foreign visitors, including Nigerians, visited their stall. But the number is very few, he added.

“Now we are offering 15 per cent to 40 per cent discounts based on products. Our home appliances are getting a good response among visitors.”

Taibur informed that their company is offering 15 per cent discount on electrical home appliances, 22 per cent on washing machines, and 40 per cent on LED television, and refrigerators in spot sale at the fair.

The sales executive of Sara Kashmir pavilion said they did not get good response from visitors. Their shawls were sold between Tk 1,500 and Tk 4,000.

Manager of Abdul Enterprize Abu Sufian who took tender for tickets of the 27th fair said they did not count the number of foreign visitors separately.

“We sold around 8 lakh tickets since the start of the trade fair. A large number of visitors thronged the fair venue on the last holiday. We will count the number of visitors at 10 pm or 11pm,” he added.

Abu Sufian also informed that they took tender for selling tickets with Tk5.40 crore except additional cost. “We have to count a loss of around Tk2 crore as the number of visitors is sparse,” he also said.

On average, 30,000 visitors now buy tickets daily. The fair time should be extended by at least one week.

“We sell per ticket at Tk 40 to all including bKash. But bkash offers 50 per cent discounts. It is their own business,” he said.

Replying to a question on how many foreign visitors visited the fairground this year, Secretary of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Md Iftikher Ahmed Chowdhury told The Business Post that many visitors from different countries, including China, Japan, Netherlands, and Nigeria visited the fair this year compared to last year. Ten countries have set up some 17 stalls at the fair.

“But we can’t say the exact number of foreign visitors as they came here like local visitors. However, we will disclose the export orders on the closing day,” he said.

Answering another question, Iftikher Ahmed ruled out the possibility of extending the fair time anymore. “We are taking preparations to close the fair on January 31. However, we are very happy to organise such fair successfully,” he added.

Bangladesh received export orders worth $16m at the 26th DITF, the largest annual trade event of the country.

At the 25th edition held at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Bangladeshi traders received around $2 billion in export orders.

This year the fair organisers also expect $2billion export orders.

A total of 331 stalls have been set up in the fair, and 17 of them are of foreign entrepreneurs from 10 countries for this DITF at Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (BBCFEC) at Purbachal in Dhaka.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) in collaboration with the Commerce Ministry has been organising the DITF since 1995. Up to 25 editions, the DITF was organised at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.