The 66th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair was scheduled to take place Oct. 27–29, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic it has been pushed to Feb. 23–27.
To fill the void, the show’s organizer, Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), is hosting a virtual fair it’s calling BGJF Special Edition: On Ground to Online Exhibition, Nov. 2–4.
Somdet Susomboon, director general of DITP, said in a prepared statement that while Thailand has been successful in controlling COVID-19, “many other countries continue to battle with the pandemic,” making international travel a challenge and “causing a great deal of harm to Thailand’s renowned gems and jewelry business.”
DITP claims the virtual show will be Asia’s “most comprehensive online jewelry exhibition” and expects the exhibition to have around 50,000 online visitors.
The online fair will include a special exhibition zone featuring more than 600 Thai and foreign gem and jewelry entrepreneurs exhibiting products.
Additionally, the show will offer online business matching via chat, phone, or video call on “an extremely secure system.” Companies will be able to schedule appointments in advance and transact from their company or at the business matching station at the DITP offices in Bangkok.
There will be a virtual opening ceremony on Nov. 2, and an online conference on gem and jewelry industry topics is planned.
The Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair is is one of the industry’s major trade shows. Though it’s not as big as the Hong Kong fair, the show’s focus on local and Asia-based craft and artistry is highly esteemed in the industry.
Gems and jewelry (combined) are Thailand’s third most exported industry, create more than a million jobs, and generate roughly $15 million annually.
Top: A promotional image for the BGJF Special Edition: On Ground to Online Exhibition, Nov. 2–4 (courtesy of DITP)
Source: JCK 19-10-2020
