The fair “BetterLivinginPortugal” started out as a way of «showing foreign business to the foreign community residing in the Algarve», but in the edition that will take place on the 5th and 6th of October, at the Portimão Arena pavilion, BLiP intends to go further.
«Based on the name of the fair, Better Living in Portugal, we want to show people, whether they are resident foreigners or who have a home or holiday here, or whether they are Portuguese, how to make a better life in the Algarve, with the products and services of companies from region. Basically, we want to tell people why it is better to live in the Algarve and Portugal».
The words are from Michael Reeve, Executive Director of AFPOP, the Association of Foreign Owners of Portugal, which organizes BLiP.
In this 2013 edition, the fair will also have, and for the first time, the participation of the Algarve Tourism Region, as a sponsor and as an exhibitor, which, according to Michael Reeve, also reflects the different philosophy that the organization is giving to the event. “It's a slightly different direction we want to give BLiP, as while continuing to showcase businesses and services that might interest the foreign community, we're also becoming an exhibition of lifestyle», he explained.
The vast majority of visitors to BLiP are foreigners, especially British, Germans, Dutch, people who live in the Algarve or who have a holiday home here. But there are also more and more Portuguese people, because they know that this is a professional event, where they can find the products and services they need.
BLiP wants to be a «live and vibrant fair»
«This fair, contrary to what is customary in Portugal, has no entertainment, nor food», adds Michael Reeve. It focuses mainly on presenting services and products, in areas that are of special interest to the foreign community, but which can also be useful for the Portuguese, such as innovative materials and solutions for construction, home equipment, electrical and electronics, garden equipment, pool and outdoor, insurance, financial products, healthcare, security, real estate, among many other sectors.
New this year is also the existence of a shopping area to sell goods. "There will be people here selling their products directly, doing business on the day and on the spot." “We want BLiP to increasingly be an exciting, lively, vibrant fair, not just an exhibition where people come to look for financial or healthcare services,” explains Michael Reeve.
To help bring BLiP to life, this year, for the first time, there will be artisans and quality Portuguese products at the fair, such as wines, oils, salt, olives. «These will be products that have to do with the culture of the Algarve and Portugal», explains the person responsible for the event.
Basically, he explains, in the same event, there will be three: «direct sales of products, by small companies and businesses, large companies showing their services, but also some culture in the region, so that people who visit BLiP will realize that in the Algarve has more than golf courses and beaches».
In parallel, the Algarve Tourism Region will promote conferences every day in the auditorium of Portimão Arena, about «living in Portugal», while Agência Abreu will organize talks about the travel industry.
Portuguese companies, large or small, are welcome
The 2013 edition of BLiP, scheduled for the weekend of October 5th and 6th, will have between 60 and 75 exhibitors, being also open to receive small companies and small businesses.
«Portuguese companies are always very welcome, there is an important market for them here», adds Michael Reeve, responsible for the organization.
«This year, we will have Agência Abreu, which is even one of the sponsors, as well as Portuguese healthcare and hospital groups, but we also want smaller companies, which are looking for more market. In these difficult economic times, it is better for companies, large or small, to make themselves known face to face with their customers», he stresses.
Furthermore, he stresses, «if a business is headquartered in Almancil, what chance does it have of having a client in Lagos, for example, if it doesn't make itself known through BLiP? The visitors we receive come from Tavira or Santa Bárbara de Nexe to Aljezur. This is really the place to be!».
The fair, which receives between 7 and 8 visitors in two days, is considered the “flagship” of the events that take place throughout the year at Portimão Arena, by the municipal company Portimão Urbis, which manages this space. The event is precisely part of the new direction that the pavilion is intended to take, investing in a regular calendar of professional and quality exhibitions.
To give more notoriety to a fair that is already part of the habits of the expatriate community, BLiP is strongly committed to promoting it, whether in foreign language newspapers and magazines, or in Portuguese.
A marketing campaign is already underway, with the support of Turismo do Algarve, including advertising before the event in its Guide, on the website, at tourist offices, in outdoors outdoors located in strategic locations.
BLiP also has a strong presence on the internet, with its website (English e in Portuguese), but also on social networks (Facebook and Linkedin). It also has radio coverage by KissFM, before the event, and direct transmission from the fair, as well as the support of the Chambers of Commerce.
All so that the fair “BetterLivinginPortugal” is the place to be on the weekend of October 5th and 6th.
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