Business booming at expo | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Numbers were up, interest was up, noise was up, business is up. That was the message from the UnisonFibre Business Expo participants, who declared it a success.

John Stroud, Computercare's business manager, said the expo had been good for business.

"We've had lots of leads, which is fantastic," he said.

"I go right round the North Island and this is one of the best expos I've been to. The people here are really open and want to talk to you."

Airnet sales manager Ben Deller said the whole experience was positive.

"We thought it would be just a branding exercise, but we're getting sales and we have had hundreds of people sign up for our free broadband for a year competition," he said.

"People this year have been a lot more bullish, we have had a really good time."

Tina Lord, account manager for Admin Plus, described the expo as "a pleasant surprise".

"I was curious to see how it would pan out, but it's been very worthwhile," she said.

"Our target market just kept coming through the door. The foot traffic has been terrific, because the seminars kept pulling in fresh people.

"The networking with the other exhibitors has been very good; they have all been so very friendly."

The only downside was the cancellation of the presentation from Minister of Small Business, Maurice Williamson, because his plane could not land at Hawke's Bay Airport.

But the Bay business buzz continued into the evening, with a blind wine-tasting challenge from Church Road.