Ho Chi Minh City's Trade Fair: Diversified and Efficient

In the process of development and integration, apart from efforts in trade and investment promotion overseas, Ho Chi Minh City has organized many trade fairs and exhibitions to call investors for more capital inflow into Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular. Annually, there are over 100 trade fairs organized in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Apart from the expansion of supermarkets, opening trade fairs is considered the best means to introduce goods to consumers. In Ho Chi Minh City, since the beginning of the year, there have been 184 trade fairs concerning commodities, exports, trade promotion, technical trade fairs, and other trade fairs of foreign enterprises from Thailand, China, and South Korea, the most significant of which is a technical trade fair meeting 52 percent of demand of multi-sector economy of the city. Besides, in 2007, the city has held more than 70 exhibitions regarding health, pharmaceuticals, automobile, motorbike and energy; and over 10 trade fairs opening to satisfy the demands of enterprises.

 

The preparation for trade fairs is much better than in past years; indeed, together with some units such as AFC, VCCI, VIETFAIR organizing international trade fairs, there are many agencies such as the Trade Department, Ho Chi Minh Trade Promotion Centre and other business associations. For example, in October, 2007, the international art and craft trade fair organized by the Ho Chi Minh Trade Department had 320 joining enterprises, which attracted 320,000 local visitors and 8,500 foreign visitors. In this fair, there have been 640 contracts signed, especially many worthy contracts were made by Nhat Minh Co. Ltd, Truong Thanh Furniture Corporation, and Ha Nam Company. This fair is appraised to be the most effective in marketing methods.

 

Other associations and organizations have promoted many assistance activities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through trade fairs. For example, the International Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) and Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper have co-organized the Vietnamese High-Quality Goods Trade Fair in An Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Thua Thien Hue, Buon Ma Thuot, Da Nang and Hanoi. Such fairs have drawn attention to more than 12,000 enterprises with nearly 4,000 stands.

 

However, units organizing the fairs, both new and well-established ones, are in great demand. For instance, the registering HCTL unit (District 10) just got allowance for 5 out of 14 trade fairs for organization. Another drawback is that Ho Chi Minh City now has limited locations which can host trade fairs.

 

According to final report of EXPO fair in October, 2007, there is capacity for 12,000 stands at the Hoang Van Thu Centre; therefore, the organization board of Tan Binh Culture and Sport Centre has expanded by 100 more stands to meet the demands of enterprises. According to Bui Thi Thuc Anh, director of the Trade Organization Company under VCCI, for more rapid economic growth Ho Chi Minh City has attracted more units from many countries to introduce their products in trade fairs, and has established distribution channels and gained business opportunities with foreign visitors. She expects that the city will facilitate the organizing units by providing more qualified locations for trade fairs.