After three long years the 29th annual Nunavut Trade Show Conference is coming back Iqaluit on September 19-22.
The theme for this year’s Nunavut Trade Show is ‘Rebuilding Partnerships’, the main trade show will be taking place at the Arctic Winter Games (AWG) Arena with conferences, business awards, gala and food for attendees at the Aqsarniit Hotel.
The theme is “based on the loss of the last two years,” said Chris West Executive Director of the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce, who are hosting the Nunavut Trade Show, West is excited to bring it back. The previous Nunavut Trade Show was hosted in 2019, afterwards the Covid-19 pandemic caused it to pause for the subsequent two years, with its membership expressing a desire to bring back the Trade Show.
“It’s really been difficult because we depend on three main trade shows that we do. One being the Nunavut Trade Show, Northern Lights in Ottawa and Northern Perspectives in Winnipeg,” said West, adding the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce was lucky to have a good couple of years prior to the pandemic.
The Nunavut Trade Show will have space for up to 100 booths for various businesses and organizations taking part in it. They are also looking to offer up an artists market to help support them as well who have had to also deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’re extremely excited, cautious as well. We know the pandemic is not completely over, we will have some measures in place to maintain some social distancing. We encourage masks as well, whatever people are comfortable with,” said West.
An important aspect of bringing back the Nunavut Trade Show, he adds is the return of face-to-face meetings.
“A lot of people found it difficult to navigate through virtual. I think it’s exciting for people to get back together.