Despite airline and FMCG-industry strikes, visitor attendance at the recent Africa's Big 7 2005 trade exhibition in Johannesburg increased.

"We still showed growth of around 2%," said event organiser, John Thomson, Managing Director of Exhibition Management Services.

"That was even though, exactly at the time the exhibition opened its doors, both Pick and Pay and South African Airways had strikes that dramatically affected show-attendance and kept company management busy elsewhere.

"Visitors from places like Lagos, Accra and Nairobi phoned to say they simply had no way of getting to Johannesburg," he said.

But despite the travel-obstacles, delegates from 31 countries still made the trip to Africa's largest retail and FMCG trade show.

The annual exhibition is an umbrella event that brings together seven trade shows focussed largely on the food, retail and FMCG industries.

Exhibitions are:

• The Pan Africa Retail Trade Exhibition
• Hardware, Housewares Africa
• Retail Solutions Africa
• Agri-Food
• International Fair for the Meat Industries of Africa
• Interbake Africa
• Dairy Deli Africa

But trade exhibitions are not just about visitor-numbers. More important is the quality of those visitors - and on that score Africa Big 7, 2005 delivered.

Almost 51% of all guests reported they were owners, managing directors or directors of companies and could authorise purchases for their businesses.

"We found the quality of enquiries we received was of a much higher standard than that of previous exhibitions," said Nathan Scott, CEO of Columbit Industries.

"Decision-makers attended this show, asked very serious questions and insisted on urgent follow-up."

The exhibition was also a time to show off new products and gave stall-holders the opportunity to conduct unhurried discussions with existing clients.

"This year's show proved to be the most successful thus far for our company," said ATM Solution's, Andre Greyling.

"It really gave us an opportunity to explore new avenues for our products and was an excellent environment to interact with existing clients."

Increasingly the world is beginning to see Africa's immense business potential. Africa's Big 7 exhibition provides a unique opportunity for individuals and companies to meet the major role players in a market conservatively estimated to total 720 million consumers.

"There is already great interest in next year's show," said Thomson. "A number of exhibitors have booked. A large French food-processing association has confirmed its participation and we are certain we will once again have companies exhibiting from countries as diverse as Brazil, Turkey and India as well as Europe and Africa."

There is no doubt Africa is no longer the bottomless economic pit it once was and there is growing recognition that the continent offers phenomenal business opportunities, both in the sourcing and selling of products.

There can be little argument that Africa's economic prospects are the best they have ever been. Few other regions in the world can boast better growth-rates.

A recent United Nations report, for example, claimed Mozambique's economy is growing at an annual rate in excess of 9% and Ethiopia's economy has been growing at over 8,5% p.a. The continent's overall economic growth stands at around 4,2% p.a.

"The simple fact is, Africa wants to do business," said Thomson, "a fact confirmed by the exhibitors at Africa's Big 7."

"We had clients from as far afield as Botswana and Swaziland coming to see our display," said Premquip Manufacturing's, Roy Kirsten

"Many brought along the plans for new stores as they knew someone would be there to assist them."

"The response was awesome," said Ebrahim Ismail of KZN-based beverage producer, Shoreline Beverages. "Many were keen to join as distributors.

"There are enormous business opportunities in Africa," said Thomson, "and those who do not now move to exploit them will undoubtedly find they have missed the boat."