There’s going to be a second flower trade show in Ecuador next year. In addition to Agriflor, organised by Dutch organiser HPP Exhibitions, the Ecuadorians are going to organise their own trade fair: Flor Ecuador Flower Show 2018. Dick van Raamsdonk, director of HPP, is convinced that there’s going to be only one floriculture trade fair in Ecuador next year and that it’s going to be Agriflor.
HPP and Expoflores were still collaborating in capital city Quito last year, for the most recent Agriflor trade show. Next year, exhibitors will be able to choose from two different trade fairs. The one organised by HPP, which will be the 17th edition of Agriflor, to be held from 3-5 October at the same venue in Quito (Park Carolina, Centro de Exposiciones), as well as the Flor Ecuador Flower Show 2018. The latter will be organised by Expoflores, the organisation of Ecuadorian flower exporters.
Expoflores wants to hold its own fair in the period October/November 2018 at the Centro Eventos de Bicentenario, at the old Quito airport. The event will last for three days.
Spokeswoman Veronica Soria of Expoflores commented on the developments: “Ecuadorian businesses want to have their own show, just like the one in neighbouring country Colombia. A Colombian organisation for producers and exporters, similar to Expoflores, made that decision a while ago. We want to do the same, so we’re terminating our collaboration with HPP.”
The plan is to make Flor Ecuador Flower Show 2018 an international and big event. According to Soria, there’s a lot of interest so far. “Registration has been open for our members for a week now and 53 companies have registered already. We’ll open registration for non-members, such as the logistics sector, later on.”
At Agriflor 2016, some exhibitors complained about the exhibition spaces; they were considered too small. Soria confirms that there’s a demand for larger stands, especially from the bigger companies. “Compared to the other location, we’ll have a bit more space and the show will be larger. We’ll be able to handle more visitors. There were 115 stands at Agriflor 2016; we’re counting on 120-150 participating businesses this time.”
According to the spokeswoman, they won’t be competing on price with Agriflor. Further details of the programme, whether there’ll be a tour along nurseries for example, still need to be finalised.
Dick van Raamsdonk, director of HPP, is convinced that there’s going to be only one floriculture trade fair in Ecuador next year and that it’s going to be Agriflor.
“I make new agreements with Expoflores for each edition and I’m planning to do that this year too, as always. I did hear about the plans for a second trade show, but people spread all sorts of rumours all the time.”
Van Raamsdonk says that the old airport isn’t suitable for a trade fair. The building that’s there at the moment is far too small. There’s been talk about a new building for years, but nothing’s happened so far.
“I’d love to take you to the old Quito airport, so you could see for yourself that there’s nothing more than tarmac there. There isn’t a large exhibition centre. And I don’t think Expoflores should expect the large exhibition centre that’s been planned for many years, to be there all of a sudden next year.”
Van Raamsdonk would like to have a larger building for Agriflor, but that simply isn’t available. He also points out that the most recent edition of Agriflor was one of the best ones ever. “Everybody thought so, including Expoflores.”
