Booth Girls strut their stuff for IT

In a world where even low-key beauty pageants declare themselves focused on finding a winner with both inner and outer beauty, Taiwan sticks to its knowledge that sex sells.

In fact, at times it was difficult for me to distinguish whether Computex was about the technology displays, which spanned four full-size exhibition buildings, or the scantily clad girls who attracted the masses to the stands.

Make no mistake - automotive fairs have nothing on the amount of female flesh that was on display last week. Indeed, I have a sneaky suspicion that not even a Las Vegas extravaganza would have been able to compete.

In Taiwan, the girls who "man" exhibition stands have their own title: Booth Girls. And I have been led to believe employees will sometimes fight each other to get the chance to do the pre-show interviews.

The purpose of Booth Girls` presence is clearly understood: attract as many visitors to the stand as possible. How do they do this? With the skimpiest outfits known to man and woman.

If I were inclined to militant feminism, I might have decried this practice as exploitation.

Kimberly Guest, senior journalist

Additionally, every stand must have its own outfit theme, preferably in latex, Lycra or leather. So much so that I often found myself wondering whether Taiwan`s fetish apparel industry is only surpassed by its IT industry in economic standing.

The variety of outfits quite simply astonished me. Within 15 minutes of entering one of the exhibition halls, I encountered a milk maid, an intrepid space traveller, a trio of sports players, a handful of free-love hippies, sparkly go-go girls, a pop artist, and a stand populated by ladies in futuristic strips of latex, ala Milla Jovovich, in the Fifth Element.

The poor Booth Girls working for the one company that decided to go with the traditional Chinese embroidered silk gown had hems so high above the knee that breathing left them at real risk of exposing their belly buttons.

If I were inclined to militant feminism, I might have decried this practice as exploitation.

The thing is many girls apply to several companies for a chance at being one of the famous Booth Girls. While I do not understand the language, there was no mistaking the look of envy on the faces of girlfriends who would pop around for a lunchtime visit.

But does the practice help to sell the technology?

Having waltzed around the faire and observed the interactions between stand, Booth Girl and overwhelmed visitors, I have to say yes.

The exhibits with Booth Girls certainly had more visitors than those that didn`t. Once drawn to the stand, visitors would take a look around to see what was on show. When the Booth Girls turned their backs, the sound of visitors "testing" the camera function on their phone was almost deafening.