admin
Sithandazile Moyo Business Reporter
PREPARATIONS for this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel and Tourism Fair are on course with 18 foreign exhibitors having confirmed their participation so far.The event will be held at the Harare International Conference Centre from 10 to 12 October.
Organiser of the event, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), has set the first two days of the expo as business days before the event opens to the public on the last day.
ZTA head of public relations and corporate communications Mr Sugar Chagonda said this year’s event would be bigger and better.
“As ZTA continues to boost the Sanganai/Hlanganani fair, the 2013 edition is expected to ride on the successes gained over the preceding years and there is no doubt that it will again be another resounding success,” he said.
He said the expo would capitalise on the success of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly held last month.
“A total of 137 exhibitors have confirmed participation with 18 being foreign,” he said, adding that registration for participation at the tourism event was still in progress.
The travel and tourism fair targets local and international exhibitors among them national tourism boards, embassies, international airlines, leading hotel chains and government ministries.
The fair provides participants from all over the world a chance to meet and network.
“Participants at Sanganai/Hlanganani will have the privilege to establish strategic partnerships with other destinations or cities, meet and network with exhibitors, visiting buyers, investors and suppliers of services to the tourism sector from all over the world and derive value from well structured, themed and informative international tourism conferences and workshops,” he said.
Mr Chagonda said the 2012 edition was a success and expressed optimism that this year’s event would attract more exhibitors.
“The 2012 edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani lived up to its billing as it attracted 85 foreign exhibitors, mainly from Africa who were part of the 1 230 total exhibitors that occupied 259 stands.
“This is indeed indicative of how the fair has evolved over the years as witnessed by the increase in its scope, exhibitor and buyers’ attendance as well as space elasticity from 4 036 square metres accommodating 746 exhibitors in 2011 to 5 090 square metres accommodating 1 230 exhibitors last year,” he said.
Online Reporter