Coimbatore is gearing up for a mega IT expo
To be conducted from June 1-3, CITA Compufest 2007 is poised to garner a big revenue and will give necessary thrust to the local IT market, as Coimbatore is fast emerging as an IT hub. Coimbatore Information Technology Association (CITA) is driving this initiative and working at full-throttle to make it a more successful event.“We are conducting an IT expo, after a gap of nearly three years, in the city. The entire channel community of Coimbatore is committed to make it a successful event. And the vendor support is good for our show. Several leading IT companies have confirmed their participation and we are doing brisk business, as far as the stall sale is concerned. Nearly 40 percent of the stalls are already booked,” said SG Ponnarasu, Secretary, CITA.CITA was earlier known as CCDA (Coimbatore Computer Dealers Association). The association took on a new name this January, as part of their comeback plan. Though Coimbatore boasts of an IT association almost nine years old, it was not active for many years. “Now, we have a new team and renewed energy to put association activities back on track. And, our monthly meetings are happening regularly and every reseller here is committed to the welfare of the channel community,” he claimed. CITA Compufest 2007 is the third IT expo being conducted by the association in the last nine years.
The expo is expected to draw a huge crowd and the association projects a turnout of over 30,000 people, in three days. It will attract students, corporate, professionals, home, educational and SMB segments. “We are splurging on advertisements and promotional activities, covering all mediums of communication. CITA has set aside a significant amount of money for these programs,” Ponnarasu observed. The entire event (expo work) is outsourced to a third-party for professional services.
The highlight of the event is a job fair. CITA proposed to conduct a job fair in the exhibition, mainly to meet the workforce requirements of the local IT companies. “The biggest challenge in the industry today is getting quality manpower for the organizations. And CITA is doing it out of its own interest and for the welfare of the channel community (companies),” he pointed out.CITA Compufest will draw crowds from in and around Coimbatore, covering nearby places such as Pollachi, Avinashi, Tirupur, Palakad, Ooty, Metupalayam, Udumalpet and Palani, among others. “We will try to bring more upcountry resellers into our fold,” quipped Ponnarasu.CITA will use Compufest as a launch pad to promote its various activities, which include developing an IT village (residential) near Coimbatore for resellers, family entertainment programs and its much-hyped foreign trip for channel partners.“We are inviting Pongalur N Palanisamy, Government Minister-Rural and Small Industries, Tamil Nadu, to inaugurate the event. We are also expecting the city mayor and collector to felicitate the event, along with other dignitaries,” he added.
