The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects revenues generated from national trade fairs to grow by 43 percent on an annual basis to reach ₱1 billion this year.
DTI Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista said the sales target for trade shows this year is more than ₱1 billion, up from ₱700 million last year..
Bautista said the revenue target applies only to the DTI’s national trade shows and does not include regional events held in select parts of the country.
“This year, we are aiming even higher. We target over ₱1 billion in sales and it’s only on the national level, excluding the regional trade fairs,” said Bautista.
She said the DTI is aiming to reach its revenue goal by mounting at least 13 national trade shows within the year.
This is expected to provide more opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country’s 18 regions to promote their products.
Earlier, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the DTI will host more trade shows in larger venues to encourage more MSMEs to participate.
Roque also said the DTI would introduce more product-specific offerings to draw greater attention to goods with strong growth potential.
Bautista announced the DTI’s trade show revenue target during the opening of this year’s Coconut Philippines Trade Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Held at SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, the five-day trade fair brings together around 300 MSMEs from the coconut sector, showcasing innovative products across food, wellness, personal care, furniture, and fashion.
To help MSMEs widen their reach, the trade fair has a dedicated business lounge where entrepreneurs can meet potential partners and suppliers.
Roque said the event also highlights the need to create greater value from every coconut by strengthening processing, product development, design, packaging, branding, and distribution.
“The Philippines already has the coconut. Now, let us create more Filipino value from it, through stronger enterprises, more innovation, more Filipino brands, and better livelihoods for our farmers and communities,” the DTI chief said.