KOTRA Supports Vietnam Market Development with 'Hybrid Exhibition'

Korean Industry and Product Showcase in Ho Chi Minh City to be Held from the 2nd

Local buyers are viewing Korean companies' exhibits at the 'Ho Chi Minh Korea Product and Industry Showcase,' hosted by KOTRA over two days starting December 2. (Photo by KOTRA)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyeyoung] KOTRA announced that it will hold the ‘Ho Chi Minh Korean Industry and Product Showcase’ for two days starting from the 2nd to help Korean companies pioneer the Vietnamese market.

This event is held in conjunction with the largest-ever online marketing project, the ‘2021 Korea Online Export Industry Fair,’ with the KOTRA Ho Chi Minh Trade Center operating the showcase on behalf of Korean companies and conducting contactless marketing.

KOTRA planned this event because many offline exhibitions were canceled in the second half of this year, causing difficulties for companies seeking export routes, and it recognized the need to support local marketing for these companies. In Ho Chi Minh, about 30 exhibitions were canceled or shifted online in the second half of this year due to the resurgence of COVID-19.

The KOTRA Ho Chi Minh Trade Center, considering that restrictions on gatherings have been partially eased but it is still difficult for Korean company representatives to enter Vietnam directly, sought a method to receive exhibition items and hold the showcase on behalf of the companies.

To compensate for the limitations of proxy execution, KOTRA sequentially conducted △ matching and pre-training of exhibition agency staff (October) △ production of Vietnamese videos and promotional booklets through sample receipt and test marketing (November) △ online and offline consultations tailored to the Ho Chi Minh Korean Industry and Product Showcase.

Buyers participating in this showcase can check Korean company products in advance through videos and samples and apply for online consultations. At the showcase site, KOTRA acts as an intermediary for initial consultations with visiting buyers based on the samples. It also coordinates follow-up and in-depth online consultations between Korean companies and Vietnamese buyers.

Additionally, KOTRA gathered companies affected by COVID-19 to enable their participation in the showcase. It supports a total of 116 companies, including △ 45 companies that applied for canceled exhibitions △ 39 companies participating in the online exhibition (special quarantine exhibition) △ 32 companies participating in the online trade delegation.

Yoo Jung-yeol, President of KOTRA, said, “Even amid the digital transformation triggered by COVID-19, offline business still plays an irreplaceable role,” and added, “We will continue to support our companies’ overseas expansion through projects such as hybrid online and offline exhibitions despite the COVID-19 situation.”