EXHIBITIONS AS REFLECTION OF ECONOMY

 

Caspian Energy (CE): Mr. Mammadov, how would you estimate Azerbaijan's exhibition market?

Farid Mammadov, Director Iteca Caspian Ltd: The exhibition market in Azerbaijan is still in the initial phase of its development. It is progressing but there is yet much to do here. The growth dynamics of exhibition market displays huge potential.

Today no country in the world can display the growth dynamics like Azerbaijan's economy. In this respect, exhibitions also show upward tendencies and serve as a reflection of the country's economy, in particular the fields represented at these exhibitions.

However, exhibition market in Azerbaijan has not formed as yet. For example, Azerbaijan has not gotten its professional exhibition center so far and this issue shall be worked out in the future.

 

CE: How beneficial was last year's exhibition season in your opinion?

Farid Mammadov: The last year was quite successful for us, but let us go back to the year 2000. Comparing that year when we arranged just one universal exhibition together with ITE Group PLC with last year when the company arranged 15 specialized exhibitions, so growth is obvious. A number of our key events have been subjected to audit and certification with the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry / Union des Foires Internationales (UFI). So far, UFI approved 4 exhibitions in Azerbaijan: oil&gas, construction, telecommunication and food exhibitions. UFI certificates confirm the high level of exhibition arrangement with compliance to all international requirements. UFI certification is performed on the basis of audits that prove exhibition statistics trustworthy and reflecting the facts.

In 2007 Iteca is planning to perform audits and further obtain UFI certificates for some more exhibitions, in particular Autoshow-Azerbaijan.

 

CE: What are the prospective plans for 2007, in particular new projects?

Farid Mammadov: We have scheduled 20 exhibitions for 2007 and for the first time one of these exhibitions will be arranged this September outside the capital, in Ganja. The exhibition is named «Infrastructure of Western Azerbaijan». It will be covering many sectors of economy, i.e. we decided to do the same as in Baku, to arrange one unified exhibition to cover such sectors as construction, telecommunication, food industry, health, transport; and with time we will be arrange separate exhibitions for each sectors.

We are observing serious progress in the regions of Azerbaijan today, and last achievements in the west shall be reflected in this exhibition. At the meeting with Ganja officials we received a strong support for this event.

Several new projects are scheduled in Baku. In particular, the first new project is Fashion and Accessories that took place on March 6-8, 2007.

Another interesting project is Education and Career with participation of education institutions and large employers of Azerbaijan.

This will be a good forum to discuss what kind of specialists we need today, and young people including the ones applying to the universities can visit the exhibitions. Alongside education institutions' authorities can see how adjust academic programs to meet the needs of large employing entities. The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan has already supported us in this project.

One more new project is Beauty and Health Exhibition. Earlier this exhibition was a part of Health exhibition, but now in view of beauty salons widespread we have decided to split it into an individual event. Companies delivering related equipment and services will participate at this exhibition.

Alongside, HotelExpo exhibition will take place within tourism exhibition in April. We decided on this idea because tourism sector is actively developing in Azerbaijan and new hotels and camping facilities are constructed in the country along with the reconstruction of existing ones. Thus, hotels face the question of making acquisition of quality technologies, equipment and materials required to furnish hotels and entertainment facilities. The exhibition participants will be manufacturers/vendors of materials, equipment and services for hotels, congress-halls, recreations centers, restaurants, bars, clubs and entertainment centers. Azerbaijan international hotel business Exhibition HotelExpo is an event enabling to establish efficient and mutually beneficial relations between consumers and vendors of equipment, technologies, goods and services for hospitality industry facilities. There is one more project we are working out which is named National Wedding. The precondition for this idea of the exhibition is that matrimonial ceremony in Azerbaijan is a matter of great importance, if not the most important one in life. Traditional wedding with its inseparable attributes is a kind of symbol. We are confident that the exhibition will be not just the point of concentration of up-to-date services and proposals, but the real holiday for future couples. For namely here one could get good ideas how to turn the wedding day into something outstanding and unforgettable for the rest of his life.

 

CE: What do you expect from traditional exhibitions? Which exhibition will be the largest ones this year?

Farid Mammadov: We observe a serious and sustainable growth at all exhibitions, except for Oil&Gas exhibition, however strange it might sound. Oil&Gas exhibition is a core event, first time it was opened by national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. First years big number of serious companies was taking part in it. Therefore we cannot expect such serious growth as, for example, at Autoshow, which grew 40% last year, or Construction exhibition, which grew 30%. There are some constant participants at the exhibition, new service companies are coming and the stable growth is 5%. Moreover, existing area does not enable us to accept more companies.

Nevertheless, today Oil&Gas exhibition is the largest event, but taking into consideration the growing amounts of construction and development of infrastructure as whole, I suppose this year construction exhibition will be at least comparable to the Oil&Gas. Furthermore, Health and IT&Telecommunications exhibitions are displaying a good growth of close to 25%.

Making use of this opportunity, I would like to thank the government and ministries for their immeasurable help and support of our events, as well as the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Azerbaijan, mass media agencies that cover these events in unbiased manner, even criticize them if necessary. I also want to thank our information sponsor, the Caspian Integration Business Club that renders invaluable assistance in organizations of our events and we hope through our joined efforts our projects will be expanding and benefit to business circles for the  better future of Azerbaijan.