After a year of silence due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, exhibitions and bazaars have started to get under way.
Currently two large exhibitions have started in the capital; one at ‘Mechare Meda’ organized by Jorka events and at Gion hotel organized by Grove Garden.
Following the surge of the novel Corona Virus, many businesses were placed at risk in this industry. As a result, holiday season bazaars and exhibitions which were very vibrant and familiar were banned due to the public gathering restriction ever since the outbreak set foot in Ethiopia.
The exhibition that is now organized by Jorka events at Mechare Meda is set to start from December 27 staying up to Wednesday January 6, that is, until the eve of the Ethiopian Christmas.
Tadesse Tamrat, the marketing manager of Jorka, explained that the exhibition is expected to host more than 250 traders as participants and up to 3000 visitors are expected on a daily basis.
Tadesse explained that Jokra for the past month were in keen preparation for the exhibition in accordance with the current situation of the global pandemic and public health protocols.
He expressed that after accessing the situation, the city administration gave the go ahead to Jorka which has an experience of 6 exhibitions under its belt.
Last year’s Christmas exhibition and bazaars was the last gatherings before the pandemic outbreak in Ethiopia. As a result of the pandemic, Mawlid, Easter, Ethiopian New-Year exhibitions did not take place due to the restriction of public gatherings. Usually, on Christmas, Mawlid, Easter, New-year holiday sessions, exhibition and bazaars take palace in different parts of the city.
Around the world, many authorities have begun allowing exhibitions and business events to take place again, given certain preconditions and protective measures are put in place.
As part of the meetings industry, exhibitions are both very much affected by protective measures as they are a vital means to support industries in challenging times.
Similarly, on the exhibition that grove garden organized at Gion hotel, about 125 traders are expected to participate. As Melat, sales executive of Grove garden, said the exhibition will stay for 13 days starting from Friday December 25 of which 5000 visitors are expected to visit.
Both organizers have indicated that they have highly prepared to manage Covid 19 transmission during the exhibition. Tadesse from Jorka emphasized that they have deployed large amount of human resource to prevent visitors from getting infected and Melat from Grove Garden echoed the same by saying that they have prepared necessary appropriate precautions to limit transmission.
In recent periods, Ministry of Health have gone on record by expressing that the Covid spread in Ethiopia is on the rise as well as dramatic increase of the intensive care hospitalizations.