A total of 16 international trade promotion activities conducted in 2009 have generated $312 million in export earnings while domestic fairs yielded P101M in sales, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) reported.

“The year 2009 was marked with exciting and challenging export promotion projects, in support of the Philippine export sector.

Exporters were able to tap new markets through the locally-held international fairs and participation in major overseas international fairs,” said CITEM Deputy Executive Director Ma. Lourdes D. Mediran. Trade and Industry Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino said that the 2009 trade fairs conducted by CITEM, an attached agency of the DTI, have benefited 2,221 enterprises, mostly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and generated 10, 911 trade inquiries.

2009 was a challenging for Philippine exporters but market diversification strategies and efforts to tap the domestic market cushioned the exporters from further blow from the global recession,” Aquino said.

Among the trade fairs in 2009, Aquino cited the golden edition of Manila F.A.M.E. International, CITEM’s bi-annual trade fair for the home and fashion lifestyle sectors.

Its April edition generated $ 18M and participated by 318 exhibitors and 1, 925 local and foreign buyers while its October fair posted $ 23M and registered 439 companies and 1, 942 buyers. Best selling products were Christmas and other holiday decors, housewares and home decors, and furniture and furniture components. In terms of number of buyers, USA and Japan emerged as top buyers for both April and October edition.

Manila F.A.M.E.’s 50th edition also jump-started promotions of the Philippine creative industry through the first Art Manila (Philippine visual arts), FashioNation (Philippine garments and textiles), and the Health and Wellness Show in a bid to address the $209-billion Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market.

Meanwhile, e-Services Global Sourcing Conference and Exhibition generated $ 101M sales contracts and registered 1, 464 local and foreign visitors as well as global brands including IBM Global Services, the European Software Institute (ESI), JP Morgan Chase, Sutherland Global Services, Ericsson, AT Kearney, and Fordham University.

The International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines also recorded $57 million export sales and 2, 084 local and foreign visitors. IFEX ‘09 also became the launching pad of exporters for new niche products such as VeeGee coffee (coffee flavored energy drink), Muzcafe (instant coffee with muscovado sugar), kalamunggay tea (malunggay tea), coconut sugar and coconut nectar, mango oatmeal cookies, bottled veggies, pork and beef jerky. IFEX ‘09 also featured Region 10 or Northern Mindanao as its Partner Region featuring ethnic food products and delicacies from Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin Island, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, and Misamis Occidental.

Also, the National Trade Fair, a subcontractors fair co-organized by CITEM with Regional Operations Development Group (RODG), generated P62 million domestic sales and featured 209 exhibitors and was attended by 874 visitors.