Exhibitors strive to restore confidence of companies

National and international IT firms participate in ITCN Asia.

KARACHI: At a time when many foreigners hesitate to visit Pakistan owing to security challenges, top trade exhibitors are taking all possible measures to regain the interest of national and multinational companies in trade exhibitions.

The annual 11th ITCN Asia, the biggest IT event of the year, kicked off on Tuesday at the Karachi Expo Centre. Despite testing times, a large number of national and multinational IT companies are participating in the exhibition and conferences.

However, owing to a rise in security challenges and low GDP growth in the last couple of years, the number of visitors in trade exhibitions has dropped significantly, which poses a challenge to the trade exhibitors. The event will conclude on September 22.

“Despite all problems, this year we expect over 0.1 million visitors in three days,” organiser and President of Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan Limited Dr Khursheed Nizam said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Over 120 companies have set up over 200 stalls while over 90 speakers are participating in 18 conferences that run parallel to the exhibition. Over 67 foreign delegates from 17 countries are also participating in the exhibition, he said.

“This year, we have decided to give more space to IT companies. More than 80% of the stalls have been set up by IT companies because we wanted to engage local IT industry and IT students,” he said.

Nizam says that this time Mircosoft has called 12 of its country heads from around the world to this exhibition that has also given a big boost to the exhibition. “We have also invited top technology providers Huawei from China that provides technology to our telecom sector.”

ITCN Asia has always attracted a large number of university students. A private university student said that he comes every year to this exhibition because world-renowned IT companies participate in the fair.

“Despite the fact that few visitors come on the first day, we have received very good response from internet users ranging from game lovers to IT techies in the first few hours of Tuesday,” a sales executive of Wateen said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st,  2011.