Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) Executive Director Kamesha Blake (second left) and JMEA President John Mahfood (right) with Access Financial Services Acting Chief Executive Officer Hugh Campbell (left) and Red Stripe Brand & Corporate PR Manager Stacy-Ann Smith at the recent launch event held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
If the number of buyers and participants already registered for Expo Jamaica 2023 is anything to go by, this year’s event could be one for the history books.
With a little over a week to go before the start of the four-day exposition and trade show, organisers at the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) are reporting that booth spaces are sold out, and more than 500 buyers have confirmed, signalling the advent of one of the best-ever stagings of the event.
“Not only do we have more buyers, we also have a broader mix of countries from which our buyers are coming. In former years, the bulk of our buyers came from the UK and the US. This year, we’re seeing buyers from Oman, Yugoslavia and Sweden, among others,” noted Expo Jamaica 2023 Co-Chairperson Aswad Morgan.
The expo remains the largest show of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean, and Morgan is confident that this year they will once again demonstrate that dominance. “There is a massive demand for the show.
The momentum is building, and we’re getting great feedback and participation. Expo Jamaica is where you get to see the crème-de-la-crème of the local productive sector and what the country has to offer. We’re also expecting record numbers of consumers to come through the National Arena, certainly more than 20,000 people,” explained Morgan.
In keeping with the theme, ‘Connecting the World to Jamaica’, the event will focus primarily on creating an environment where the more than 300 booth holders will have access to opportunities for exports and linkages for future growth. In addition to the hundreds of companies that have already registered for the expo, Morgan said sponsorship support has been phenomenal.
“Our partners have been incredible. Many of them have been with us for years. They know the value of having an association with Expo. This year, we’re seeing an increase in the number of brands. We’re happy to see new entrants in the sponsorship space like Access Financial, and I’m particularly pleased to see them on board,” Morgan shared.
Microfinance entity Access Financial Services has thrown its support behind Expo Jamaica 2023 to the tune of $2.5 million.
“Access has built a reputation as a champion of small business over the last 20 years, and Expo Jamaica is an excellent platform to show our stakeholders what we’ve been doing and how we can help move them to the next level. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to connect with customers and showcase the value we can bring to the business sector,” said Access Financial acting Chief Executive Officer Hugh Campbell.
Returning after a four-year hiatus, Expo Jamaica 2023 will take place from April 27-30 at the National Arena and National Indoor Sports Centre. Organisers have designated the first two days as ‘buyers’ days where local sellers can pitch their products and close deals. The expo opens to the public after 5pm on those days.
Organisers have built in several features to make the experience memorable for exhibitors and the public such as a ‘Kids Zone’, a ‘To Di Worl’ platform for live demonstrations and new product launches, and seminars with relevant information for exhibitors.
There will also be a Jamaica Emerging Markets village devoted to smaller exhibitors, including animators and jewellers.
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