90 buyers jet in for Zim tourism expo

Senior Business Reporter—
ABOUT 90 international buyers are already in the country ahead of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair that kicks off in Bulawayo on Thursday. The Sanganai/Hlanganani expo is an annual tourism trade fair that showcases the widest variety of Africa’s best tourism products, and attracts international visitors and media from across the world.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) head of corporate affairs Sugar Chagonda said yesterday that by the time the expo kicks off, all the expected buyers would have arrived.

“Preparations for the expo are progressing well and as we speak 90 international buyers are in the country. By the time the Sanganai/Hlanganani starts all the 180 international buyers who confirmed participating at the show would have arrived.

“Fifteen of the 30 international media covering the show are also in the country,” he said. He said the buyers are touring various tourist attractions around the country visiting places such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Matopos National Park, Nyanga and Great Zimbabwe.

The buyers that have so far arrived are from countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Uganda, Germany and Netherlands. Chagonda said during the expo there would be three workshops on incentive travel, information communication technology and youth in tourism.

“We’re also working with the local organising committee for a Bulawayo stakeholders’ meeting which will be graced by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi. “The meeting is aimed at discussing issues affecting the growth and development of tourism in Bulawayo. “The meeting will also focus on deliberating a number of policy interventions’ impact on tourism,” he said.

In a separate interview, the Catering Employers’ Association of Zimbabwe president, Joe Kahwema, who is also the Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe president, said he was yet to check hotel bookings during the period of the tourism fair. “I’m just arriving from outside the country thus I’ve not checked with the hotels to see how their bookings are during Sanganai/Hlanganani expo,” he said.

In the past, hotels and other players in the hospitality industry have had their occupancy increasing to 100 percent capacity during periods such as the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair as Bulawayo hosted exhibitors and visitors.