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Roberta Katunga
@robertakatunga
BULAWAYO is set to host Zimbabwe’s premier tourism show, Sanganai/ Hlanganani for three consecutive years as part of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s turnaround strategy for the region’s ailing tourism sector.
ZTA Chief Executive Karikoga Kaseke told journalists at a press conference in Bulawayo on Wednesday that bringing Sanganai/ Hlanganani to Bulawayo was a deliberate effort to revive the tourism economy in the city and surrounding environs which he described as being in a bad shape.
“Business is at an all time low in Bulawayo and events like Sanganai will go a long way in creating business. This city has beautiful but underutilised facilities,” said Kaseke.
He said as part of ZTA’s three-year turnaround strategy for the region, Bulawayo would host Sanganai for three years including this year’s edition which kicks off tomorrow and ends on 18 June at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
The 9th edition of the expo sees its return to Bulawayo, its founding venue, after being hosted at the Harare International Conference Centre for the past seven years.
This year’s edition has seen about 236 exhibitors registering to participate as compared to last year’s 128 with 35 foreign companies from 11 countries. An increase in buyers has also been realised with 128 buyers taking part in the expo compared to 110 in 2015.
“The highest number of buyers which is 85 is from Africa and the Middle East while 30 are from Europe and the rest from America and Asia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kaseke said lodges in the city were in a better state as compared to hotels.
“Most of the lodges in this region, with 99 percent of them owned by women in tourism, are extremely beautiful and better than hotels. The standards of these lodges are high and people should support them by staying there,” said Kaseke.
Bongani Ndlovu