Guwahati Trade Fair drawing large crowds

GUWAHATI, Feb 8 – The ongoing 17th International Guwahati Trade Fair, the first such event being held at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, is drawing good response from the people.

“We are very happy with the turnout, which has exceeded our expectations. The new venue has a number of advantages and the large crowds are corroborating to this,” Rajesh Das from the organisers side said. Das said that the entiretrade centre complex was well-designed, well-planned and well-equipped to host any international event, and both the participants, including those from abroad, and the visitors have taken a liking for the place. “It has enough parking space – a perennial constraint at the earliervenue of Chandmari – and its atmosphere is totally free from pollution and dust,” he said.

Terming the Government’s decision to shift such events to the trade centre as the right move, Das said that following the success of the trade fair different organisers were evincing keen interest in holding commercial events at the venue. “In a way, we have set the trend and now the trade centre is booked till 2011,” he said.

Das said that due to the advantages in the new venue, people were coming with their families and spending hours. “It is a big complex with a festive ambience and we see that more families are visiting it than in the Chandmarivenue where teenagers and youths comprised the main crowd. People from different areas of Guwahati including from the outskirts are coming which was not the case in Chandmari,” he added.

The developments augur well for the future of the trade centre as doubts had been cast whether it would be able to draw sufficient crowds due to the distance. “Guwahati is fast expanding and I thinkthe new venue is ideally suited to cater to the needs of a growing city,” Das said, adding that the area and ambience of the trade centre resembled that of Delhi’s Pragati Maidan and the days ahead would see it buzzing with activities.

Thailand, which is participating in a big way, has been a major attraction for the visitors. “Thai boxing demonstrations as well as Thai food have been a big hit with the crowd. The other attractions including Saturday’s quiz have also added to the show,” he added.

The 17th IGTF organised by Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam ( ITFAA) in association with DC ( Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, NSIC and JMDC began on January 29 and will continue till February 14, 2010.

Source:http://www.assamtribune.com/