“I have just come back from the MSC Opera and the prize I won at last years Outdoor Show, I would like to thank you very much for such a wonderful prize and the most marvellous memories that we have made from the cruise. Everything was so enjoyable and perfect. The cabin was spacious and comfortable, the food was memorable and never ending and the entertainment was top class. We are senior citizens and would not have been able to have a break like this and really appreciate such an adventure. I must say we participated in everything including the Rave late at night. Such fun!! Thank you again for this great experience we have plenty of photographs to keep.Very Best Regards, Lorna Richards”
Visitor Comments:
- MANDY: My son and I really enjoyed the day out!
Exhibitor Comments:
- SA GUIDE DOGS – Please receive our sincerest thanks and appreciation afforded to SAGA at your recent Gauteng Expo – an amazing R17 000 was raised – more than double the amount raised during our 2012 expo which will ensure the gift of independence, mobility, companionship and Dignity to more visually and physically impaired in SA!
- INVADER – Dan-Pierre: excellent quality people, good sales, all round very good
- SCUBAVERSITY – Mandy: nicely arranged show, good quality visitor, friendly staff, good leads, excellent food & variety
- BUSH LAPA TRAILERS – Pieter: very busy, very happy, lots of leads, already about 20 sales, great venue & excellent weather
- HALFWAY TOYOTA – Colin: lots of interest, sold a couple of Hilux double cabs, good quality leads
- AFRISPOOR – David: good quality and number of visitors, good positive leads, exceeded his expectations
- CONQUEROR – Martin: right people attending show and leads excellent, advertising great, open neat well laid out venue, good quality exhibitor & a good mix
- MOTO-NETIX – Landie: much better than previous years, amazing visitor quality, big success and a well know show
- TAKLA – Rowan: looks good, sales good and lots of interest
- THULE – William: great show, excellent sales, good position & quality people
- BIG JOHN CLOTHING – Ian: beautiful weather, great show, good sales, nice quality visitors, fantastic venue
- ENRICO VERWEY: great show can see the up-turn – excellent sales on all items, will be back
- FRANTEL / SUMMIT TRAILERS – Francois: venue very good, good quality visitor, good sales – will be back
- HARTIES CABLEWAY & ELEPHANT SANCTUARY – Ian: lots of awareness building, generally good, Sunday better quality visitors and families for our product
- BEESTEKRAAL BILTONG – Oom Skalk: brilliant show, neat good quality exhibits, good visitors and sales
- KOBUS SE GAT – Stephan: lots of people, good show – will be back
- LION PARK – Busi: amazing show, great exposure, excited to be involved, definitely back next year
- N3 GATEWAY – Andy: fantastic, best consumer show for a long time, lots of genuine interest for their area
- MOPANE BUSH LODGE – Paul: good bookings and lots of leads which they get through their competition
- CAPE UNION MART – David: good turnover, great exposure, good quality buyers
- NEXT FIELD – Brandt: very awesome show, good sales, better than expected, Saturday and Sunday were brilliant – they will defiantly do our next show
- BARGLOBAL / WOLVERINE – Khalid: very, very happy, superb show, great buyers, excellent organization
- GAUTENG TOURISM – Mmberegeni: good show and lots of interested people
- BUFFALO CITY – Thandiswa: excellent show directly to the holiday makers
- SUNSET COOKWARE – Willie: best show for a long time
- TREE TAGS – Madelain: great show, good sales and lots of leads, good quality people attended
- KZN WILDLIFE – Siyabonga: perfect show for their products with quality visitors and the right target market
- SMART TENT – Alistair: great sales and good quality visitor will be back!
- TULBAGH – Patty: quality visitors, lots of interest in the area and the wines, loved the show grounds and set up of the show, good variety of exhibitors and well put together, great vibe
- MALOTI DRAKENSBERG ROUTE – Justin: great show, good quality visitors, excellent exposure and lots of interest in their products – definitely back next year
- JURGENS CI – Joel: good sales and many good leads. good show and will be back
- HONORARY RANGERS – Vernon: excellent show, fantastic exposure , sold out of all the caps they had for fund raising
- TOURISM MALAYSIA – Tasneem: very good show, lots of interested people in their destination and resorts, excellent exposure
- NASDUN – TREKKING – Nei: good show, lots of sales and leads and good reaction to their product range
- DURBAN TOURISM – James: good show, busy, lots of interested people in their products, holiday makers collecting info for their next holiday
- MINX MARKETING – Rob: very impressed with everything, had great sales and huge interest and leads
- NITECORE SA – Celesti: excellent show, great sales and lots of good quality leads
- DD CREATIVE STUDIO’S – Marc: great show nice and busy
- SOS EYEWEAR – Madiny: good show, pleased he decided to do the show
- TREES-ID – Wally: good show, great leads, covered costs, good exposure
- ISMART – Caroline: good position, same next year, very good show, lots of sales and leads
- MOZZIE-TRAP: good show, quality visitors, good sales and leads
Over 14000 people attended the Original Outdoor Expo which celebrated 21 years in Gauteng! The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, weather was superb and the venue was perfect for an Outdoor Event. The Expo began with an adventure feel for many, as there was a chance to brave some rugged terrain with off-road and slow-packing trails from the parking area to the Expo. Additionally, the parking was completely secure, with no incidences experienced. The early-winter weather may have been chilly but the atmosphere sizzled as visitors took in all that the Expo had to offer. Some came for the outdoor gear, others to browse for an upgrade on two or four-wheeled vehicles, some wanted information on the hottest travel spots, while others simply browsed and enjoyed the set up and range of adrenaline-packed activities such as helicopter flips, K9 search and rescue demonstrations and Bungy Bounce. Kids giggled with delight at the creepy crawlies at the Spider Club and the adorable cubs from the Lion Park, while their parents were just as delighted at the selection of wines and craft beers available.
Adding to the local and lekker flavour of the Expo was the mouth-watering range of food available, with something to suit any taste; and the Girl with the Golden Voice, Cat Simoni, kept toes tapping with her selection of favourite pop and rock hits. The Expo also ran some exciting competitions and lucky Lorna Richards will be sailing into the sunset on an MSC cruise, while Johanna Joubert and Dave Nicol each walked away with a gorgeous Timberland watch.
The interest from the media and public was enormous, highlighting South Africa’s passion and enthusiasm for wildlife and the outdoors. The Outdoor Expo was featured in a wide range of media outlets, including radio stations 5fm, 94.7, Jacaranda, Street Busters, RSG, the 702 Outdoor Show and Ballz Radio. The Expo was featured widely in magazines and newspapers such as Weg, Go, Caravan and Outdoor Life, SA 4×4, Beeld, The Star, Saturday Star, Pretoria News, Sondag and The Fourways Review. The social networks buzzed with news of the Expo and on the ground, posters in JHB and PTA and a mobile billboard gave the Outdoor Expo plenty of presence and visibility – a first this year was the relationship with Groupon which was highly successful and brought in many more new visitors to the Expo. Says Shirley Shearer, on behalf of the Outdoor Expo, “The event was a resounding success. South Africa has such a variety of amazing outdoor experiences to offer any traveller and we wanted to bring it all together for everyone to enjoy. The exhibitors gave the event two thumbs up, and were thrilled with the organisation of the event, quality of the venue, and the fantastic positive feedback from those who attended the Expo.” She adds, “We look forward to growing this event for visitors and exhibitors – so look out for the Outdoor Expo 2014, which will be bigger and even better!”