Historical Background

Trade shows are a very widely used promotion event, since they are a business stage involving many advantages for participants, visitors and the community where they take place.  They are an ideal way to promote products and services, to communicate directly with the public, to stay in touch with other companies planning to start new businesses… and they set market trends.

When we talk about trade shows in Santiago and in this country, our point of reference should be the one trade show that has been able to stay current and improve over the years—Expo Cibao.  For 19 years, the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santiago has welcomed a vast group of companies, representing the nation’s diverse financial sectors, and has accompanied them in the process of making the best of their participation in this event that constitutes the best link between customer and exhibitor.

At the beginning, at the Mater et Magistra Pontifical Catholic University in 1987, the purpose of the fair was to display our national production in a multi-sector exhibit where the businesspeople of the Cibao Region and the Dominican Republic would show their products to the visiting public.

In 1990, the trade show was moved to the facilities of the Santiago City Hall, which became Expo-Cibao’s home for seven years.  In 1998, with the demand being larger than the supply, it was necessary to find more adequate premises to give more space to the regular participants as well as to the new ones entering the world of exhibits; therefore, Expo-Cibao was moved to La Barranquita Sports Complex.

In 2001, the farming sector was included, becoming a great attraction for visitors interested in farming and cattle-raising. This complemented the participation of the diverse productive sectors of our country.

Over the years, Expo-Cibao has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions for its work and its contributions to the Nation’s business sector.  This is the result of the support and dedication of the Chamber’s Board of Directors that every year undertakes the fair’s organization, making their best efforts to provide everything necessary to make Expo-Cibao an ideal stage for promoting companies, products, new businesses, to launch new products and services, and to be in touch with the public, in addition to the persevering and unconditional efforts of a team trying to do their best to help this trade show succeed.

The fair has grown a lot, not only as regards the participants and the public, but also its structure and organization have made it one of the most promising Dominican trade shows.  Promoting the training for jobs that elevate human dignity is our objective for our 2006 Expo-Cibao fair. The Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santiago appreciates and values the support it receives from this country’s business sector, which for 19 years has trusted in and backed this project, and it enthusiastically assumes the challenges to make it better and more adequate.

Expo Cibao Profile

With the purpose of displaying our country’s national production, the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santiago, Incorporated, inaugurated in 1988 the first multi-sector fair, named Expo-Cibao. On that occasion, having as stage the then called Madre y Maestra Catholic University, a representative sample of national companies supported this ambitious project.

Presently, Expo-Cibao is a business exhibit, where representatives from this country‘s diverse economic sectors, as well as environmental and human-development projects, converge annually. Through the years, this fair has become one of the best business samplers in the Dominican Republic.

During these fifteen years of history, Expo-Cibao has undergone some changes and has been a major participant in important events. In 1992, it was chosen to participate in the commemorative events to celebrate the Fifth Centennial of the Discovery of America; by 1993, keeping in tune with the changes that were beginning to affect the market, it introduced buying as an element of the fair, and in addition it started promoting aspects of urban planning through the participation of PUCMM’s Center for Urban and Regional Studies.
In 1995, community service institutions took part in the fair for the first time, as did international businesses and visitors. In 1999, Expo-Cibao was given an award by the Honorable City Hall of Santiago, whereby it was declared “The Annual Fair of All Santiagoans.” As a major step toward internationalization, an agreement was made with the Chamber of Commerce of Puerto Rico in the year 2000, to promote a commercial exchange between Puerto Rico and our country.

In 2001, Expo-Cibao included a new sector in the fair, the Farming Sector, which filled up around 15,000 square meters, thus expanding the fairgrounds by 40%. On that same year, it received an award from the Honorable Chamber of Representatives of the Dominican Republic, for its commendable contribution to this country’s economic and business development.
Finally, in 2002, Expo-Cibao distributed the display areas differently, expanding the farming area and modifying the access ways in order to make circulation more efficient during the event. 

Studies conducted by the Chamber to evaluate the performance of the fair and visitors’ expectations revealed that:

• 97% of the visitors stated that the fair had met their expectations;
• 78% of the visitors considered that Expo-Cibao 2002 was better this time than on previous occasions;
• 67.5% of the visitors had been to other versions of the fair;
• 54% of the visitors purchased something during their visit;
• 65% of the visitors considered this Expo-Cibao was better than previous ones;
• 52% of those who had not visited the fair before do not live in Santiago;
• The prevalent income level of new visitors is RD$11,000.00.
• 55% of new visitors rated the fair’s security as very good.
• For Expo-Cibao visitors, this fair’s most distinctive traits are first of all its business character, and secondly its organization.

Regarding the exhibitors, the results of the studies show that:

• 53% of the companies participating on this occasion had participated in other versions of this event;
• 78% of the participants are willing to take part in Expo-Cibao 2003;
• 67% of those who had participated on previous occasions found this version to be better than the previous ones.
• 71% of participating companies had taken part in other fairs.
• 54% of exhibitors were not engaged in sales.

The six major advantages which defined the profile of Expo-Cibao 2002, according to the exhibitors interviewed were as follows:

1. It allows for conducting promotion activities;
2. It allows for expanding the presence of the product or service in the regional market;
3. It allows for the launching of new products;
4. It allows for enhancing the image of participating companies;
5. It allows for sales improvements;
6. It permits doing business;

This valuable portfolio of accomplishments accumulated throughout fifteen years of fairs makes us feel committed to doing a better job. The Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santiago works with dedication and care, aware of the challenge that we face every year, so that Expo-Cibao continues being one of the best locations for people to do business in the Dominican Republic.
Expo Cibao