The National Tourism Office has launched its fourth edition of Christmas market this 19 December and it will close on 25 December. Exhibitors complain about the lack of visitors, they say this edition seems to be less vibrant.
Léonidas Habonimana “Christmas Market is not only an opportunity to sell Burundian arts and crafts but also to network with other peers”
At the entrance of the National Tourism Office, some stands of Burundian arts and crafts, foodstuffs, decorative objects…made in Burundi can be seen. This is to commemorate the 4th edition of Christmas fair as it is done every year in Burundi since 2014.
On the 4th day of the exhibition, exhibitors seem to be bored. “We don’t have customers or even simple visitors”, says Dorine, a shoemaker.
Daniel, is an artisan who makes products from cow bones. He has participated in Christmas exhibitions since 2014 but he is discouraged.
“I don’t have customers. In the previous years, it was lively. I sold so many items and came into contact with many different customers because they visited the exhibition. For this edition, I don’t even get money to eat per day”, he says.
“This year, there are not even many exhibitors”, added Daniel
Habonimana Leonidas, General Director of the National Tourism Office (ONT), says it is not yet time to get discouraged adding that the Christmas fair is not only an opportunity to sell their products but also to network with their peers. “This exhibition aims to promote entrepreneurs, to help children enjoy Christmas and also facilitate networking between these young entrepreneurs”, he says.
About the small number of exhibitors who have participated, Habonimana says it was due to the limited budget of the National Tourism Office and the lack of products to be exhibited as the latter were all sold in the previous trade fairs.
The National Tourism Office (ONT) organises Christmas market to boost tourism by exposing beautiful products made in Burundi and to promote the Burundian culture mainly represented by the Burundian drums.
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