The Cape`s only dedicated business-to-business (B2B) IT expo, CITE 2001 - to be staged at the new GrandWest Exhibition Centre from 22 to 24 August - aims to be not just an exhibition but also an experience for the thousands of decision-makers expected to visit the show.
This is the vision of Doug Adams, the organiser, who has been responsible for the smooth running of numerous exhibitions throughout Southern Africa in the last 20 years and who arranged the first CITE expo held in 1999.
CITE 2001 will focus on important IT sectors such as e-commerce, mobile and IT communications, IT security and IT outsourcing. In addition, business seminars and lectures will run alongside the show, and numerous activities, incentives and competitions are being planned to add value and attract more people from the key target audiences, said Adams.
CADDEX, the computer graphics exhibition, will also be held in tandem with CITE, but will be marketed separately, as in the past.
CITE is targeted at decision-makers and influencers across the board of commerce and industry, government and municipal sectors, who will be able to see the most up-to-the-minute IT business solutions and systems under one roof.
The show will cover the spectrum from networking and marketing technology to website design and services, data warehousing, video conferencing and a host of other services and products designed to facilitate productivity in the fast-paced business world.
CITE has the full endorsement and support of the IT Association (ITA) Cape, the official employer body for the IT industry, which has widely advertised the show to its members.
Steven Louw, the director of ITA Cape, said: "We see this annual event as an important part of the IT marketing calendar and would like to see it grow as a platform for local and international companies.
"The format of an expo - being conferences alongside an exhibition - is useful in that it provides focus on the one hand and exposure to different aspects on the other, in one event. A dedicated IT expo, where a business can concentrate its marketing on corporate buyers, means that more effort can be energised, rather than trying to meet a variety of demands."
Louw said that the impact of the show is steadily growing and this, the third such event, promises to be the best yet. "The superb choice of venue and the facilities offered there confirms our belief that a professional and valuable event is in the making."
He said that the ITA feels that B2B expos of this kind are an important part of marketing, increasing knowledge and awareness, and providing increased visibility for the industry.
"It is important to us to ensure that participating members are educated and assisted in how to approach B2B expos, particularly in identifying and enticing the correct groups of visitors," he said.
Teryl Schroenn, national president of the ITA said: "I believe a business-to-business exhibition of this nature allows customers the opportunity to evaluate the different options available in a professional environment. The feedback from both exhibitors and visitors over the past two years has been excellent and I am sure that this year`s expo will be of an equally high standard."
The ITA will have a stand in the exhibition hall and will host at least one seminar.
CITE 2001 has also gained support from the Computer Society of South Africa, which has notified its 3000 to 4000 members across the country about the expo.
Kris Jarzebowski, chairman of the CSSA`s Western Cape chapter said: "We believe it is a good thing for our members to be aware of the exhibition and give it their support."
The show aims to attract visitors from the Western Cape and the Boland, as well as from the Southern and Eastern Cape, and as far afield as Namibia.
For more information on the exhibition, please contact Doug Adams on phone (021) 794 3686 or e-mail dadams@cite2001.co.za. To book a stand, please contact Estelle Bravo on phone (021) 426-5642 or e-mail ebravo@mweb.co.za.
Visit the website at www.cite2001.co.za
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