News item posted: 2006/01/01
NB! Exhibitors please read:
EXSA warns the exhibition industry against ‘free’ listing scam
Johannesburg, South Africa, 11 September 2005
The Exhibition Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) continues to warn all in the exhibition industry to take care against a form distributed recently by a company called Fairguide. The form allegedly offers companies in the exhibition industry a free listing to an on-line global directory.
On its website, www.fairguide.com, this Austrian-based company (otherwise referred to as Construct Data) positions itself as, ‘The largest fairs and exhibitors directory on the Internet, for finding fairs and exhibitions all over the world.’
What has been discovered, to the consternation of a few hood-winked South African exhibitors, is that listing with Fairguide is in fact not free at all.
Conned South African exhibitors are not alone however, with many hundreds of companies throughout the world having been misled by Fairguide. The company’s modus operandi is to target companies that are about to exhibit at a show with an offer to sign up for an entry in an on-line global directory.
The form is misleading as it implies that it is being sent by the organiser of the show at which the company is exhibiting, resembling the organiser’s free directory listing form. The fine print cleverly conceals the fact that exhibitors have to pay for the listing. Exhibitors who sign the form are then committed to a three-year, non-refundable contract.
Lynn Chamier of Exhibitions for Africa and Gary Corin of Specialised Exhibitions have both confirmed that their clients are among those South African companies who have been approached by Fairguide for a listing. A closer look at Fairguide’s website shows an extensive listing of exhibitions and organisers in the South African search category, which begs the question of whether they were aware that there was a fee involved.
The UK-based Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) takes a strong stand on this matter, condemning Fairguide’s tactics and warning exhibitors to steer clear of them. The AEO’s website, www.aeo.org.uk, includes copies of the typical form sent to exhibitors, as well as a recommended response letter for exhibitors to send Fairguide when asked for payment.
The Austrian Trade Commission has confirmed that, to the best of its knowledge, nobody has been sued for non-payment. Exhibitors who have inadvertently signed up for a listing should therefore ignore all demands for payment.
The Exhibition Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) is concerned that this type of scam tarnishes the exhibition industry’s reputation and leaves exhibitors feeling aggrieved. Organisers and exhibitors need to be made aware of this type of activity in order to stamp it out.
More information
EXSA – Exhibition Association of Southern Africa
The Exhibition Association of Southern Africa, (EXSA), was founded in 1980 as a non-profit organisation representing Venues, Organisers, Exhibition Designers, Contractors, Service Companies and Associate organisations. Through collective representation, it provides a forum for these participants within the exhibition industry. It adds credibility, status and integrity to its members through membership qualifying criteria and adherence to the strict Code of Ethics. EXSA protects the interests of its members, exhibitors and visitors to exhibitions and provides an information collection and dissemination service to all interested parties, both locally and internationally.
Contact details
Mandy O Connor – General Manager, EXSA
Telephone: 011 805 7272
Email: exsa@exsa.co.za
Website: www.exsa.co.za
Issued for and on behalf of EXSA by Tori Tait (Pty) Ltd. For further information, please contact Tori Anderson, 083 263 4286, toritait@iafrica.com
IAEM WARNING TO EXHIBITORS AND SHOW ORGANISERS
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