“THIS YEAR will go down in the annuls of history as the most challenging the country has experienced since Namibia attained its Independence three decades ago,” says Harald Schmidt.

“Not only because of the economic slowdown, but we are now forced to think differently when it comes to going about daily life and certainly about the way we conduct business,” adds Schmidt.

Schmidt, vice-president and the chief executive of the Windhoek Show Society says they have entered a strategic relationship with SMEs Compete and the Windhoek Boeremark, by creating a marketing platform for local producers to showcase good and service offerings.

Piloted by way of a two-day event, the newly conceptualized Windhoek Fair 2020 is set to become, not an annual event, but one the partnership trio, Windhoek Show Society, SMEs Compete and Windhoek Boeremark, plan to stage two to three times a year. Schmidt says the Windhoek Show Society saw that SMEs Compete and Windhoek Boeremark are known and widely acknowledged for the commendable work both organizations do to promote entrepreneurship.

Schmidt says the Windhoek Show Society saw that SMEs Compete and Windhoek Boeremark are known and widely acknowledged for the commendable work both organizations do to promote entrepreneurship.

Also, how focused they are on supporting small enterprises when it comes to income growth and job creation. As for Windhoek Fair 2020 SMEs Compete garner support for small manufacturers and service providers to participate in the event.

In turn Boeremark will facilitate participation by small-scale farmers and producers of local foodstuff, preserves and beverages.

Schmidt says the choice of working with these two entities is a no-brainer.

Windhoek Fair 2020 is slated to take place in the capital city on Friday, 30 and Saturday, 31 October 2020. The venue is the well positioned, highly visible and excellently maintained Windhoek showground.

The event underscores government’s ‘Growth At Home’ strategy and other initiatives such as ‘Source Local Buy Local’.

“It spotlights the importance of consumers, public sector entities including parastatals, and corporate firms, supporting local manufacturers and providers of services”’ says Schmidt.

Health and safety protocols are in place and will be rigidly applied for those exhibiting at Windhoek Fair 2020 and for visitors too, assures Schmidt.

He adds that exhibitor numbers will deliberately be kept lower that the annual show and stands will be widely spaced apart.

According to Schmidt the same applies to visitors, as numbers in the show grounds at any one time, will be restricted.

For more information on Windhoek Fair 2020 contact [email protected].