WITH an exhibition hall full of people, many of whom will be potential customers, how do you ensure that your space will attract visitors?

How do you stand out from all the other companies and products on display?  Not only do you need to attract the right visitor traffic, your stand also needs to project the right company image and effectively communicate your desired message or messages.

So you need to think hard about your choices and how you can maximise the potential of your stand space.

The style and design of your stand is what first grabs people’s attention, encouraging them to look more closely. It should be professional but eye catching, while ensuring that your product is the most obvious feature. It is important that all passersby know what you do! 

Make sure graphics and signboards are large, bold and simple. Use the same thought process as you would for a roadside billboard. You only have a few seconds to attract a visitor’s attention and get your message across. Moving displays or motion of any kind are usually a good attention grabber, bright lights and projected images awaken the senses. Music is also a draw but bear in mind competing background noises and the constant show announcements which could reduce impact.

Hopefully you have secured a stand in an area with high traffic flow, near an entrance, next to a kiosk or on a corner and ideally your stand should have more frontage than depth, this will increase exposure to passing traffic. Also, if possible, ensure you have plenty of room left for visitors on the actual stand, once you have placed your displays and furniture.

Having done all your pre-show advertising and PR, you can concentrate on what you can do at the show itself to maximise your presence and help achieve objectives. Whatever you choose to do must be in line with your company and product profile and must be appropriate for the audience you wish to target. It is an easy mistake to run gimmicky promotions that create the wrong impression or serve as a major distraction which prevents your staff from engaging effectively with the right visitors.

When it comes to gimmicks and give-aways, try to think outside the box while keeping it relevant. You can hold publicity stunts, demonstrations and competitions on the stand, you can offer hospitality facilities, put on a musical display. Give-aways that promote the company name around the show are the best type so make it something of use on the day. Good quality bags or backpacks are always useful at a show, incentivise further by giving on-the-spot prizes for those displaying your branded product.

Whatever you do, make sure your sales team members are educated on how to engage quickly and relevantly to make a quick pitch to clients. Working in such a fast-paced, face-to-face environment may require additional staff training, so bear that in mind.

It is critical that leads are followed up as soon as the show has closed, possibly with some initial form of contact and then with further more detailed interaction. Attracting large quantities of visitors is great but objectives may not be met if that traffic is not turned into leads and eventually sales. 

ITTFA, International Tourism Trade Fair Association, is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards across Europe and worldwide.

Treatment in South Africa comes at a fraction of the cost of what many tourists would pay back home, which has turned the country into a cosmetic surgery hub.

Packages such as ‘Surgeon & Safari’ make the destination even more attractive offering the chance for treatment by a world-class surgeon with state-of-the-art facilities combined with five-star pampering and recuperation in sunny South Africa allowing patients time to heal and rejuvenate themselves, before returning home glowing and looking brand new.

The emergence of South Africa as a health tourism destination has prompted Grand Aurum Marketing in association with Aura Events to announce that the 7th World Health Tourism Congress will be held in Durban, South Africa from October 15 to 17 under the patronage and sponsorship of Kwazulu-Natal Tourism Office.

Grand Aurum Marketing is an internationally recognised tourism consultancy specialising in tourism development, representation and events for emerging governments and countries as well as investors and private corporations.

The company is the owner of the World Health Tourism Congress which is being promoted in the Mena region by Marta Consulting of Dubai.

Each year, WTTC recognises best practices in sustainable tourism with its Tourism for Tomorrow Awards seen as among the highest accolades in the global travel and tourism industry.

Applicants should illustrate how they are demonstrating sustainable tourism practices and management, including maximising social and economic benefits for local people, reducing negative impacts to the environment and supporting the protection of cultural and natural heritage, by entering one of four award categories: Global Tourism Business, Conservation, Community Benefit and Destination Stewardship.

Entries can be submitted online at www.tourismfortomorrow.com until December 1, 2011.

Winners will be announced at the WTTC Global Summit in Tokyo from April 16 to 19, 2012.

Winners will meet government and industry leaders at the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Ceremony, receive outstanding international media exposure and are invited to submit case studies to WTTC’s website.

In 2011, Alpine Pearls won in the Destination Stewardship category, Guludo Beach Lodge won the Community Benefit Award, and Singita Pamushana won the Conservation Award.

Lamb guided the Fairtrade Foundation to a period of staggering growth with estimated fair trade sales of more than Ł1 billion ($1.5 billion) and 4,500 plus retail and catering products carrying the Fairtrade mark.

The foundation aims to create better deals for marginalised workers and farmers in developing countries by ensuring that they receive a fair price that enables them to make a sustainable living.

“The Fairtrade Foundation has played a key role in driving fair trade battles,” said WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery. “Under Harriet Lamb’s strong leadership, it has achieved much with many similarities between the uphill fight to encourage travel and tourism to be more ethical, sustainable and caring and the huge challenges still facing Harriet and the fairtrade movement.”