The 2019 edition of the Rand Show is going to be the biggest in the event’s 125-year history, if exhibitor bookings are anything to go by: space in the event’s revitalised halls is flying off the proverbial shelves, and 90% of 2018’s 260 exhibitors have already said that they’re coming back to Johannesburg’s most exciting lifestyle show.
“Our sales team is already well ahead of their projections, thanks to an early-bird special we’re offering. Many exhibitors have secured premium space and there are still great opportunities for brands that want to take advantage of this great platform,” says Craig Newman, CEO of the Johannesburg Expo Centre, which owns the rights to the Rand Show.
Exhibitors already signed up reflect the show’s appeal to diverse exhibitors and visitors. Singer Sewing Machines, one of the Show’s longest-standing exhibitors, has already secured the premium space its customers from the country expect it to have, while Gauteng Vehicle Auctioneers will bring some of the best deals for dads and anyone else looking for a new set of wheels.
“Reconfiguring and updating the Rand Show’s halls has meant that we’ve got space for 400 exhibitors for the 125th anniversary edition of the event, which we are confident will attract even more visitors than the 200,000 punters that came to see, experience and shop at the 2018 show. We are planning a number of new exciting events and activations for Rand Show 2019 and they will be announced to consumers as they are confirmed,” Newman says.
“We’ve done a lot a work to ensure that the Rand Show appeals to wider range of exhibitors and visitors and is relevant to immediate trade and significant sales, rather than for awareness and brand building,” he says.
Originally staged at the Old Wanderers Cricket Grounds in 1894 as an agricultural expo, the Rand Show has moved to several new venues and embraced various themes over the years to establish itself as a highlight on the social and commercial calendar in Johannesburg.
“As we engage with visitors and exhibitors, we will continue to refine and update the way we present the various experiences,” Newman says. “A streamlined layout will make it easier for visitors to engage in more fun and meaningful ways with each brand so that trade is facilitated seamlessly.”
