Health, Fun and Fitness Fair proves to be no fun

Exhibitors at the second edition of the Health, Fun and Fitness fair held at the Trade Fair Grounds in Naxxar yesterday expressed disappointment that the fair was smaller than they had expected, and poorly attended.

They said they had been under the impression that the fair would be as large as other fairs but they found out too late they were only 20 exhibitors and their stands were spread over a large area of the grounds.

Exhibitor Alan Farrugia of Sports Nutrition and Marketing said this was the first time he was participating at a fair and he was utterly disappointed to find out that there were only 20 exhibitors in all.

"This fair was a disappointment for us exhibitors and for the public who had to pay an entrance fee of 30c and a parking fee of 25c per car to come here to see next to nothing.

"To add insult to injury, some of the exhibits are not even related to health and fitness," he said.

Mr Farrugia said that one could go round the whole fair in five minutes.

He argued that the organisers, the Trade Fairs Corporation, should have cancelled the fair once so few exhibitors had decided to participate, and return the deposits of those who wished to participate.

"We will definitely not take part in the fair again," he said.

Alfred Difesa of Triton Concepts Co. Ltd also argued that the organisers should have cancelled the fair because of the low interest.

He said that the organisers invited him to take part in the fair only a week ago and he was not given any information as to the number of exhibitors.

He said that not only was the number of exhibitors low, but some of them were not exhibiting products related to health and fitness.

Mr Difesa said public attendance was also very low and the few people who called had complained that there was nothing to see and that stands which could have fitted in a couple of halls were spread out over a large area.

His disappointment was such that he was considering putting down his stand at lunchtime, hours before the fair was due to close.

Mr Difesa said he expected a refund from the organisers and if this were not forthcoming he would never participate at any fair organised by the same people.

Europharma exhibitor Simon Agius said only a few people were visiting his stand because most were not even bothering to get to it, located at the end of a hall.

He said he felt cheated because he was told, just two days before the four-day fair opened, that it was fully booked.

A couple who were leaving the fair just before noon yesterday said they loved going to fairs, especially those at the Trade Fair grounds, but this one was "a disaster".

They said they spent an average of 20 minutes inside and more than half the stands were not health and fitness related.

One man said it was his first visit to a fair which was not the main, international trade fair and he would never be going to another again as "there was nothing to see at all".

Another man said that with such a disorganised fair the organisers were putting people off other fairs organised over the year.

"The organisers are being unfair not only to exhibitors at this fair, but also to others in fairs to come," he said.

The fair organisers, contacted through the reception desk at the fair to give their version, said they could not comment before today.