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Butholezwe Kgosi Nyathi
TOURISM stakeholders in Bulawayo were elated when the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) announced in 2015 that the 2016 edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, henceforth referred to as the Expo, would be held in the City of Kings.
The announcement was received with excitement bearing in mind that the inaugural edition of the Expo was held in Bulawayo with subsequent editions, however, being held in Harare.
The Expo has grown phenomenally over the years to an extent that some prospective exhibitors were in 2015 barred from exhibiting as infrastructure at Rainbow Towers could not meet demand prompting the shifting of the Expo to its founding home.
The 2016 edition of the Expo will be held from 16 to 18 June at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZIFT) Halls 3 and 4. The ZITF is a unique exhibition park in Zimbabwe as it is a self-contained facility with infrastructure capable of handling an international exhibition of the magnitude of Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo. June 16 and 17 are trade days while the 18th is a public day.
Various events are lined up over the three days of the Expo with the key attraction being the exhibition of tourism products and services by local and international exhibitors. Other activities include a media dinner, official opening, an awards ceremony, golf tournament and an incentive tourism training workshop among other activities. The commercial value of the Expo is, however, reposed in the buyers who come to Zimbabwe to experience the country’s tourism products and services. According to the ZTA, a total of 163 exhibitors, 28 being foreign, and 128 buyers had confirmed participation as of last week. The international media has also started arriving for the Expo.
While the Expo officially starts on the 16th of June, some of the international buyers started arriving in the country on the 6th of June to participate in pre-tours; these being visits to selected tourism destinations in Zimbabwe prior to the official commencement of the Expo. Similar tours will be done after the Expo to other selected tourism destinations. Pre and post tours are a mechanism of fostering front line exposure to the country’s diverse tourism destinations.
Buyers are then expected to facilitate tourist visits to Zimbabwe from various international source markets. The return of the Expo to Bulawayo presents an opportunity for tour operators in the city to harness the culture, tourism and economic development nexus. Bulawayo has a rich history and culture, an attribute that gives leverage to development and promotion of cultural and township tourism.
The city as a local authority has to play an active role in promoting township tourism. Bulawayo has a formal twinning relationship with Durban in South Africa and one hopes that in future the two local authorities will consider doing a joint exhibition at the Expo. Bulawayo has areas of cultural and historic significance such as Makokoba Township, a bastion of social movements dating back to the liberation era, and various other features of interest such as the “Hanging Tree” on Joshua Nkomo Street; the Post Office Gardens; Exchange Bar and Restaurant; the Natural History Museum and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo among other attractions.
It is pleasing to note that the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is currently developing a policy on Community Based Tourism Enterprises. It is prudent for tour operators to exploit this niche in tourism and the Expo is a mechanism to showcase the inherent potential.
The benefits of hosting Sanganai Expo transcend the three days of the showcase. Bulawayo will play host to various international buyers who are out to scout new products and services in the country’s tourism industry. Networks established will be the basis for long term value exchange and business transactions.
Local restaurants, transport providers, accommodation facilities, cultural centres, small businesses and tour operators have an opportunity to directly promote their business ventures. While the Expo is a national event and buyers will be taken to the country’s various prime tourism destinations, Bulawayo has leverage to promote its tourism products and services by virtue of being the convergence point for all local, regional and international buyers and exhibitors.
The creative sector also stands to benefit. Consumption of local art and culture is one of the key areas of interest among visitors to Zimbabwe.
Research has shown that contemporary tourists are interested in interfacing with the culture of local communities and artists are that gateway to local art and culture. One hopes that local artists have mapped and are alive to business opportunities being presented by the Expo.
The return of the Expo to Bulawayo builds upon already exiting international trade shows such as the ZITF and Mine Entra thus further boosting economic activity in the city. We all know that industrial activity in Bulawayo is depressed and thus any intervention that promotes economic activity is most welcome.
Another key element of the Expo is the promotion of domestic tourism. It is in this regard that the 18th of June is a family fun day and entry is free.
The theory of change is that if local citizens are exposed to the country’s diverse tourism products and services, they will be more willing to save money and patronise the country’s tourism destinations.
At the heart of promoting domestic tourism is the desire to demystify perceptions that tourism is a preserve of the rich. The country has numerous low cost tourism packages and these will be on display at the Expo.
Butholezwe Kgosi Nyathi is programmes manager at Amagugu International Heritage Centre and a member of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Local Organising Committee. He writes in his personal capacity. Email: [email protected]
Sidumisile Mabena