REGINA – Canadian Western Agribition attracts more than 500 businesspeople from more than 50 countries and thousands more from across Canada.
Keeping track of one another at the event can pose a challenge. In the hustle and bustle of the show, buyers and sellers can meet scores of people.
But this year, those attending Agribition had help in making the right connections.
Located in the International Business Centre at the show, several computers and staff worked to help participants stay in touch with other exhibition goers.
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All people registered with the IBC were entered into the computer system. They were given a password and user name that allowed them to use the computers at the communications booth or their own laptops in their hotel rooms, via the internet, to leave or send messages for one another within the site.
“It can be really hard to find people during a show of this size. This makes it easier to make those connections,” said Chris Ruschkowski, a marketing and trade officer of Agriculture Canada, which sponsored the system.
Not only does the system list all the names, addresses and business interests of those registered with the IBC, it also provided a built-in
e-mail system.
People who wouldn’t normally be able to access their e-mail while away from home were able to use the site as a mailbox while in Regina.
Photo service
Agriculture Canada staff will also assist a participant who wants to send digital photographs of potential purchases back to a home office anywhere on the planet.
“You can shoot a photo of a heifer you want (to buy) and send a shot of her back to your partner back on the ranch in Kentucky. Then the two of you can both see what you’ve been looking at in Regina and jointly decide if this is the animal for you,” said Ruschkowski.
The site is a first for Agribition and Agriculture Canada. Officials from both groups say they hope that by leaving the system up all year, show participants will keep using the site to make contact with one another even after the stalls are empty and hustle and bustle of the show has moved on.
The site is available only to registered IBC members, protecting them from solicitations for goods or services.
It can be accessed through the Canadian Western Agribition website at www.agribition.com.
