The Exhibition Centre at Mesqel Square was the focus of attention for newly engaged couple Ayenew Elfineh and Bethlehem Zergaw last week. He is a civil servant and his bride to be works at an NGO.

The wedding is in April, but they are already acquiring household items that they need to set up their home. They were looking for a sofa slipcover and eyed an imported item displayed in Israel Taye's booth, one of 700 exhibitors among a mix of local and international vendors.

The exhibition, organised by Habesha Weekly Promotions Plc, opened on December 15, 2018, and will run through the Ethiopian Christmas holiday, Gena.

The couples are not regular visitor of exhibitions, but they are here because it offers them a variety of products to choose from, even if there are no discounts.

"This is better than my expectation. Though there is no price discount, we get a variety of products, enabling us to have more options," he said.

Israel displayed different couch covers, some manufactured locally and others imported, with a price range between 3,000 to 4,000 Br. They negotiated and reached a deal to buy the sofa slipcover for 3,500 Br.

Israel also sells curtains and kitchen wares inside a 27Sqm cubicle he rented for 21 days for 282,000 Br. Last year he paid 216,000 Br for the same booth.

"This might be my final year to take part in exhibitions," Isreal told Fortunewith frustration.

On the late afternoon of Fortune’svisit to the Exhibition Centre, Israel's booth was crowded with visitors who paid a 30 Br entrance fee to visit the expo.

"From a total of 150 visitors a day, only 10 of them buy my products," said Isreal.

This year's Christmas holiday features two big events held at the Exhibition Centre and at Millennium Hall, the latter organised by Jorka Events.

Habesha, established almost a decade ago, won the bid to rent the venue at the Exhibition Centre for 26 million Br. For the upcoming Easter expo, the company also won, the bid, paying the highest bid of 21 million Br.

Both events were attended by exhibitors including manufacturers, retailers, local auto assemblers and distributors. The expos also featured daily music concerts with prominent musicians.

For the two exhibitions, Habesha allocated a total of 65 million Br, according to Natnael Eticha, marketing manager of Habesha, and expect half a million visitors for the Christmas Expo.

The both rental fee for a four square metre tent ranges between 20,000 Br to 40,000 Br, based on the booth's proximity to the main gate of the pavilion.

Nine square metre and 15Sqm slots are rented for 80,000Br and 110,000Br, respectively.

Jorka Event, which is well known for organising concerts and music festivals, hosted the Christmas holiday for the second time at the Millennium Hall. During this expo, which is attended by 200 exhibitors, the organiser expects 800,000 visitors.

Built a decade ago by the Ethio-Saudi tycoon, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi, the Millennium Hall rests on 87,000Sqm and the exhibition area takes up 19,000Sqm.

Jorka will organise the next Easter and New Years holiday expos at the Millennium Hall for an estimated 25 million Br.

Jorka, which has spent an additional three million Birr for advertising, promotional materials, musicians and logistics, also charges a 30 Br entrance fee.