New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) The 29th edition of the India International Trade Fair kicks of at the sprawling Pragati Maidan exposition grounds here Saturday with 7,500 domestic and overseas exhibitors from 28 countries taking part in the 14-day event.
President Pratibha Patil is scheduled to inaugurate the event organised by the commerce ministry-promoted India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), in which Thailand is the partner country and China has been roped in as the focus nation.

The organisers said the first five days of the event have been exclusively reserved for business visitors with tickets priced at Rs.400 per day and Rs.1,500 for the entire duration.

“The introduction of this measure will facilitate the transaction of business by trade visitors in comfort and convenience sans crowds,” the organisers said, adding the theme this year is: “Exports of Services”.

“A number of seminars and conferences on subjects related to business opportunities, special displays and themes and other issues of topical relevance will be organized during the fair,” said the organisers.

Some of the other highlights of the fair include:

-Green event with no plastic bags allowed inside the grounds

-Eco-friendly bags made of jute, paper, cloth at nominal rates at 28 kiosks

-Entire Pragati Maidan declared no-smoking zone

-Fair opens half hour earlier, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

-During weekends, tickets sale will close at 2:00 p.m. and entry end at 4:00 p.m.

-Five days exclusively reserved for business visitors

-Live theatre, dance, puppetry, and music in evenings

-Ethnic food from different states

-Special exhibition on India’s space odyssey at the Nehru Pavilion

-Increased frequency of Metro, public transport service

-Free entry for authorised school children in uniform, except on weekends

-Special displays on good living, auto, electronics, textiles, jute, jewellery

-International business lounge for professional facilitation services

-Delhi is partner state, Uttarakhand in focus

The previous edition of the fair attracted three million visitors. Some 7,500 domestic and 350 overseas exhibitors from 38 countries took part in the 14-day event, that also attracted 91 overseas business delegations.

“India International Trade Fair - 2009 is expected to witness more participation from the trading community across the world,” the organisers said.