Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) has said major hotels and lodges in Bulawayo are already fully booked and preparations are at an advanced stage for this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) showcase scheduled for next month.
The 65th edition of the premier annual trade showcase is set to take place from 21 to 26 April at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) and will run under the theme: “Industrialisation: Crafting an Integrated Economic Landscape.”
The 2025 edition’s number of days have been extended from five to six to provide more opportunities for business and networking among exhibitors, stakeholders and visitors.
ZITF 2025 will also commemorates ZITF’s Blue Sapphire anniversary, celebrating decades of excellence in promoting innovation and fostering regional business growth.
In an interview, HAZ Bulawayo Chapter Hotels representative Mr Fungai Mutseyekwa said they were optimistic about the trade showcase’s potential to boost the tourism sector.
“Most hotels and lodges are technically full for ZITF. In certain instances, the demand for space is exceeding the available inventory. Those who choose to secure accommodation closer to ZITF dates might end up settling for rooms in homestays or other alternatives apart from the hotels and lodges,” he said.
“ZITF plays a key role in boosting the province’s economy as well as the tourism sector. From a HAZ perspective, there is a strong emphasis on maintaining high standards of service and safety. Members are being encouraged to implement best practices in health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of guests and staff alike.”
Mr Mutseyekwa who is also the Sterling Group of Hotels Matabeleland general manager, said as tourism players they were continuously preparing well in advance to ensure they offer up to standard services to their clientele.
Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) vice-president, Mr Farai Chimba said ZITF plays a vital role in interface of tourism and the other sectors in the economy which continues to grow.
“While it’s a window of opportunity for the country to showcase the quality and richness of service and experiences available on offer, we see the participation as a conduit for business.
“The fact that tourism feeds multiple value chains emphasises the need to participate and connect to key suppliers of business and our clients too. Over the years the engagements and new opportunities are realised which contributes to overall tourism performance,” said Mr Chimba.
He said for destination Bulawayo, product improvements have been ongoing and they are happy that the quality of products continues to improve.
Mr Chimba said players in the tourism sector must look beyond just the accommodation and showcase activities, culture, and sites that Bulawayo is rich in for the visitors.
“This will also help to build on potential repeat business in the future outside of the trade fair itself. Fair competitive pricing is encouraged to ensure the end user is not left with exorbitant pricing which discourages participation in the event and impact the overall destination value chains benefiting too,” he said.
Mr Chimba said the opportunity to host should trigger innovativeness on the part of the industry so that each year they get better and grow the event through experiences.
Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs vice-chairperson, Ms Sithabile Bhebhe called on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the city to utilise the ZITF period to generate the much needed revenue for their businesses.
“There will be a lot of activity in the city during the ZITF week, this is an opportunity for our MSMEs to provide various services and products they have in different sectors,” she said.
She said the ZITF period was a platform for the MSMEs to market their products to a wider and more diverse populace, while calling for exhibition stands prices that accommodate most MSMEs, which she said survive and live on hand to mouth.
