Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo
HOTELS and up-market lodges in Bulawayo are fully booked ahead of this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) exhibition, which starts next week.
The prestigious annual event begins at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo on April 25 and runs until 29 April under the theme, “Transformative Innovation, Global Competitiveness”.
Bulawayo Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) representative Mrs Beauty Bhulu said all accommodation facilities are ready to host thousands of delegates expected during the country’s prime trade showcase, which has seen all facilities being fully booked.
She said the hotel accommodation facilities in the city were up to standard in terms of all the requirements that include hygiene and staffing.
“Hotels and lodges in Bulawayo are fully booked, but we are still waiting for those who are yet to pay for the bookings, but what I can confirm is that accommodation facilities are full ahead of the upcoming ZITF,” said Mrs Bhulu.
Asked about what measures are put in place to hedge against failure to pay for booked accommodation, she said generally there are set deadlines given for payments to be made.
“Hotels and lodges normally give their clients a deadline to pay for the booked rooms, failure to meet the deadline, they risk losing rooms to new clients as we will be trying to minimise losses.”
She said individuals who wish to offer private accommodation to exhibitors should avail their facilities for inspection.
“For individuals who have enough space to accommodate delegates, they need to consult the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority for inspection of their properties and they will get registered with the authority,” said Mrs Bhulu.
As the host city, Bulawayo benefits immensely from the ZITF expo with hotels and lodges benefiting from providing accommodation and other services to local and international guests.
ZITF Company last week embarked on stakeholder engagements in Bulawayo as part of preparations for the forthcoming annual exhibition.
Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday last week, ZITF company chairman, Mr Busisa Moyo said they are actively engaging strategic stakeholders to ensure that the entire city is in an adequate state-of-preparedness as part of our broader strategy of increasing Bulawayo’s capacity to host large events.
The city usually faces accommodation challenges during the ZITF period.
Private landlords take advantage of accommodation challenges during the exhibition by charging high rates to desperate visitors. — @SikhulekelaniM1
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