Thursday, June 26, 2008 Grand expo ’09 will be ‘grander’
ONE of the activities of the Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2008 closed Tuesday with organizers foreseeing bigger things for next year.
CBM 2008 chairperson Ma. Theresa Chan said this year’s Grand Expo, a showcase of products and services in Cebu and other provinces in the country, was bigger than last year. As such, Grand Expo 2009 is bound to be bigger, she added.
The Grand Expo, one of the activities spearheaded by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) as part of CBM 2008, opened last Saturday and ran for three days.
Chan said this year’s Grand Expo, held at the Cebu International Convention Center, drew more than 120 exhibitors and sponsors from different provinces and cities in the country. It also involved an exhibitor from Thailand.
She said next year’s Grand Expo is targeted to attract more domestic and foreign exhibitors as the CCCI continues to promote the CBM in other provinces in the Philippines and in other countries.
“I think we have achieved the objective (of the Grand Expo), which is to highlight Cebu as a center of business, a strategic place (for investments),” she said.
She said the Grand Expo involved exhibitors from the small and medium enterprise sector, information and communication technology, as well as tourism industries.
She added that the Grand Expo 2008 proved to be interesting to many people as it drew several visitors despite the rain brought by typhoon Frank.
“We expect bigger participation next year, although the thrust (of next year’s Grand Expo) will have to be decided on by the board (of the CCCI),” Chan said.
In general, she said, this year’s CBM drew more visitors. She cited the 3,000 people who attended last Friday’s Go Negosyo conference, another major activity under CBM 2008.
Chan also said that the CBM committee made sure that none of the exhibitors of the Grand Expo carried pirated products.
“Had we received an application (by someone showcasing pirated products), we would have refused them,” she said. (LAP)
