"This year's franchising fair has been repositioned so as to provide the public with new content and services," states Corrado Peraboni, managing director of Fiera Milano Expocts. "This 23rd Franchising & Trade show in Milan is a point of reference in Italy for the launch of new brands and business development, and attract participants from around the world. We decide to join forces with RDS Consulting in order to implement this relaunch; RDS Consulting is a leading consultancy in the franchising world."

There are three major new features at Franchising & Trade 2008. Firstly, Matching Programme: a new service devised to boost business opportunities and enable exhibitors and visitors to meet face-to-face. The programme was used with great success for the world's leading tourism fair, BIT. Franchisors, franchisees, buyers and sellers can arrange targeted appointments on a pre-planned calendar. Visitors can pre-register online and provide a profile of their interests, indicating the type of activity and size of investment they had in mind and the geographic area they wish to operate in. Each visitor will then receive an F&T floor plan indicating the booth location of franchisors, which respond to the visitor's criteria, creating a customised visit plan.

In addition to franchising, the show also offers many distribution business opportunities: from licensing and partnership agreements, to commercial development opportunities in Italy and around the world for distributors and investors. Wellness Spa & Beauty Exhibition (another Fiera Milano Expocts fair) will be held at the same time as F&T, thereby allowing visitors interested in both sectors to maximise their visit.

Another new addition is the shop of the future, the Green Lifestyle Shop, a working store covering over 500 square metres. Featuring eco-friendly products, recycled materials, renewable energy sources. Also, underwear made of recycled materials, eco-friendly jogging shoes, eco-flooring, low-energy IT systems and power saving systems are just a few of the innovations seen for the first time in Italy at F&T.

The Green Lifestyle Shop is promoted by Fiera Milano Expocts in partnership with Sole 24 Ore Business Media, Polidesign and a pool of leading firms dealing in store technologies, services and supplies. The shop's theme is particularly pertinent and in line with the vision of Expo 2015: the pursuit of a sustainable future.

F&T's marketing plan has also been further strengthened. Italian newspapers, economic publications, radio promotions and franchising and distribution magazines will be targeted for F&T's promotion campaign. There will also be an intense online campaign both on Italian and international franchising sites and on leading high-traffic websites. A new addition to this year's marketing programme is direct marketing, with invitations and regular information bulletins sent to a mailing list of more than 150,000 contacts in franchising and commerce, in collaboration with associations, institutions and public agencies involved in the sector.

International development is another F&T objective. Thanks to the involvement of Chambers of Commerce, consulates and international associations, representatives from the Far East - China, Malaysia and Singapore - from Europe and the United States will be welcomed to the fair.

Franchising & Trade reasserts its status as the predominant fair event in a very dynamic, rapidly expanding market. The Franchising sector enjoys robust good health throughout the world, a fast-growth retail business formula. Italy reflects the trend: Italian franchising involves some 46,000 franchisees, generating a turnover of 21 billion euros and in 2008 is again expected to grow by over 7 per cent.