Attracting even greater attention

Announced as a major event in the pet supply sector in Russia, the Zoo Russia 2006 international exhibition took place over four days in April at the Crocus Expo exhibition centre in Moscow.

"Animal lovers, whose number grows every year, gathered in the exhibition area of 10 000 square metres," a spokesman for the organisers said. The exhibition has attracted increasing attention from manufacturers and importers of a broad spectrum of pet products, foods and medical items, toys and collars, shampoos, protective agents and many other items made by pet supply companies for pets. Exhibitors included not only the permanent participants of Zoo Russia and well-known corporations Agrovetzaschita, Aqua Pet, Ardex, Athene, Bentonit, Twins, Intel, Irvis, Petra and Helvet, but also companies participating for the first time: Argo Trading, Vector, Dexi, Futerra and Pet Paradise.
More than 850 specialists visited the fair. Data from a statistical poll of visitors showed that the following were interested in the exhibition: pet business representatives (65 per cent) and producers of veterinary medicine (19.5 per cent) as well as owners of animal lovers' clubs (9 per cent), representatives of state structures (9 per cent) and science (2 per cent). 35 per cent of visitors were top management representatives, 37 per cent were middle range representatives, and employees of veterinary surgeries and private businessmen each accounted for 11 per cent. 32 per cent of those questioned came to the exhibition from different regions of Russia, while 11 per cent came from the Moscow region. 9 per cent were specialists in the pet business from foreign countries. Muscovites showed the most interest in the exhibition (48 per cent).
The visitors obtained information on the exhibition from the Internet (26 per cent) and specialist publications (27 per cent). 5 per cent saw the advertisement on TV and 7 per cent were invited by the organisers. The purpose of their visit related to the wholesale and retail trade (39 per cent), participation in the 4th Zoo Business Forum (21 per cent), production of new medicines for animals (17 per cent), and the purchase of medical feed and additives (11 per cent). 4 per cent of respondents were ready to invest in the pet business. 45 per cent of visitors were satisfied with the exhibition results and 38 per cent of them always visit specialised events. 23 per cent held preliminary talks with participants regarding production and wholesale trade, 10 per cent signed contracts at the exhibition itself. Only 9 per cent did not find the required specialists or goods and 21 per cent were just interested in novelties for their pets. More than 20 specialised mass media channels, including the newspapers Moskovskaya Pravda ("Moscow truth"), Vete-rinarnaya zhizn ("Veterinary life"), the magazines Smena, Pets, Yorkie, Sobakovod ("Dog-breeder") and the online portals www.zooweb.ru, www. unigum.ru and www.zoo-spravka.ru were accredited for the exhibition. The exhibition show programme was also covered by about 70 Russian and foreign mass media bodies.
In the opinion of Narine Bagramyan, president of the exhibition company Asti Group, the organisers of Zoo Russia 2006 managed to create not only a business environment for negotiations, but also a relaxed atmosphere for all guests. The next Zoo Russia will take place on 26-28 April 2007, again at Crocus Expo in Moscow.