‘At IIJS Premiere, we expect 30-40% growth in business over last year’s Rs 50,000 crore’

Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), says the response to the show has been phenomenal so far with more than 30,000 visitors and 15,000 companies registered for it

For the first time in its 39-year history, the IIJS Premiere will be held in a dual venue format in Mumbai – at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC and the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, from August 3-8, 2023. Commenting on response to the IIJS Premiere so far, Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), says, “It is absolutely phenomenal! In the first phase itself, we have got more than 30,000 visitors and 15,000 companies registered for IIJS Premiere – an increase of 30% over the last year. This number may go up to 50,000 visitors and 25,000 companies as we approach the date. If this happens, we will be overbooked.”

Until now, space constraints and a limited number of booths restricted the number of manufacturers participating in the show. All that is set to change this year, with1,850+ exhibitors, of which 200+ are new or first-time IIJS participants, which makes this year’s show a great opportunity for retailers to source new vendors with new products, network with other industry professionals, and stay up to date with the latest trends. “A new feature that will benefit retailers at this year’s IIJS Premiere is the ‘Prime’visitor package that offers specific benefits, such as priority access to the show, high-speed wifi zone, dedicated Prime lounge and special help desk, based on the size of their business at the show,” says Ray.

THE CHALLENGES

The biggest challenges in the way of the upcoming IIJS Premiere would be the logistic challenge of putting up a show across two venues and aligning exhibitors to the dual venue idea. Catering to a global clientele and exhibitors, one challenge is striking the right balance between space and number of participants, because the more it expands, the larger the crowd and the number of exhibitors. Another challenge is gaining exhibitors’ confidence in the new dual venue arrangement, but the tremendous response IIJS Premiere has already received, along with GJEPC’s marketing efforts, puts those concerns at rest.

THE EXPECTATIONS

Last year, the show generated business worth Rs 50,000 crore. “This year, with the current trend of a 30% increase in visitor footfalls, we are optimistic about achieving at least 30% to 40% growth in business. More exhibitors and visitors translate to more opportunities for business transactions,” says Ray. According to him, considering the positive response received so far, IIJS Premiere 2023 will “break all records of the past in terms of business volume”.

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