Patna, Dec. 18: The dipping mercury level coupled with people’s poor response made the concluding day of the week-long Destination Bihar-Expo, 2011 a damp squib with the event failing to woo investors.

The organisers of the event, held to showcase development in Bihar and attract investors, however, pledged to come back in a bigger way next year.

But not everyone seem convinced.

“There was nothing special that could attract visitors to the expo. It appeared just like another fair,” lamented Anirudh Prasad, a resident of Patliputra Colony, who visited the event along with his family members.

“We have seen such exhibitions in New Delhi and other cities. They offer a variety of opportunities with stalls set up by big business houses to tourism groups. But the fair that we had here was participated by local-level players only,” Prasad added.

The fair was organised jointly by the industries, agriculture, tourism, road construction, information and public relations departments, the Union micro small and medium enterprises ministry the Bihar Industries Association (BIA) and ITC.

BIA president KPS Keshri said: “At the expo, we tried to showcase the changes that have taken place in the state recently. Our aim was to lure entrepreneurs from outside the state.”

He, however, admitted that the event could not attract many investors from other states as only those from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had evinced their interest to take part in the event. Keshri added that BIA would host the event in a grand way next year.