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The success of the ninth Franchising and Innovative Trade Expo has opened the doors for a new edition

Catania 9-11 March 2007

The Fiera del Sud Salone del Franchising e del Commercio Innovativo (Franchising and Innovative Trade Expo) is the only trade event of its kind to be held in the South of Italy, a place which offers a host of opportunities for business expansion, as well as being in the centre of the economic exchanges in the Mediterranean basin.

The Franchising Expo is one of the best means to develop a network: alongside leading chains which are interested in raising their profile, there are also young franchising networks, for which the Catania Expo is the best possible launching pad.

For three days, this edition too will offer important means and in-depth information to a public of potential new businessmen and women, to future franchisees, to those wishing to start up a business using a system of affiliation to a brand name or trademark. For franchisors, it is an important occasion for making dedicated and informed choices, to dispel any doubts and to avert the risk of making their own investments fruitless.

Why franchising in Sicily?

Franchising is an area of the Italian production system that is enjoying constant growth. Last year it recorded a 9.8% increase in business for a turnover of some 17 billion euros and today it is a successful means of converting retail businesses, developing young enterprise, increasing sales networks and of stimulating internationalisation (data from Assofranchising).
These figures showing such sustained overall growth has made Sicily second only to Lombardy in Italy and this trend is due to the development of the large-scale organised retail sector, with the opening of new shopping centres that have led to the creation of 200 affiliated businesses in 2005 alone (data from MPO Service). To date, 650 chains have invested in Sicily, approximately 90% of franchisors recorded at national level. The number of local affiliates is some 4,500 businesses for a total of 9,000 jobs and a sales turnover of 1.5 billion euros in 2005.