AS INTEREST in the Cyprus State Fair plunges further this year and more exhibitioners drop out, one can’t help but wonder: whatever happened to the island’s flagship trade expo?
Gone are the days when the State Fair was considered one of the most exciting events of the year and an event no Cypriot wanted to miss.
Only a decade ago, the showrooms were packed with people just there to enjoy a social event.
From school children to the elderly, the Cyprus State Fair was the place to go.
Nowadays, that magnetic atmosphere has disappeared and the fair almost resembles a ghost town.
One exhibitor yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that since the CSFA excluded car dealers from the fair three years ago, the situation had become progressively worse.
“Everybody is unhappy about the Fair and every year it gets worse,” he said. “There are fewer exhibitioners this year and public interest has diminished.”
Barely anyone attended the fair this past weekend, but this was largely due to the rainy weather on Friday and Saturday’s football cup final – not to mention Eurovision.
“On Sunday there were more people, but on Monday and Tuesday there was nothing,” said the exhibitor.
The Authority’s General Manager, Kikis Petevis, yesterday blamed part of the problem on the increase in specialised exhibitions, such as Ideal Home or the Motor show.
Petevis also pointed out that there are many new forms of entertainment nowadays, which would explain why the State Fair is not considered as big a deal as it used to.
“The State Fair is an event for the consumers combined with entertainment and we are trying to keep it that way. It continues to be the biggest commercial event of the year in Cyprus,” said Petevis.
The public’s diminishing interest did not go unnoticed by the Authority’s chairman, Loris Tryfon during the launch of this year’s 32nd state fair.
“Almost 40 years after the authority’s establishment and following Cyprus’ accession to the European Union, it has been made clear that perceptions and demands have diversified, requiring the upgrade and modernisation of our facilities,” Tryfon said.
So the Authority has come up with a “Master plan” to create a Contemporary Exhibition and Conference Centre with the capacity to host international fairs, conferences and other events.
“We will be in position to do it credit by 2012, the year when Cyprus will undertake EU presidency, and meet all its conference and other similar needs,” Tryfon added.
Tryfon also announced that the CSFA would now operate under a new trade name.
“From this moment on we simply use the term EXPO Cyprus’”
Under this name, he said, the authority hoped to put the idea across that it is a dynamic organisation equipped with exhibition and conference areas easily adaptable to clients’ specific needs.
“At the same time we seek to put across that Cyprus can hold its own as an ideal destination for international conferences and exhibitions,” Tryfon explained.
In the framework of its new development plan, EXPO Cyprus will provide contemporary, modern and technologically upgraded halls of more than 20,000m² for indoor exhibitions and 20,000 m² for outdoor events.
But with more and more exhibitors pulling out, and public interest dwindling at such a fast rate, will it be too late to fix the situation by 2012?
