Chronicle Editor
Features Desk
The recently held 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) which ran under the theme “Propagating Industrial Growth through Trade and Investment”, was sold out, forcing organisers to, for the first time since the inception of the ZITF 60 years ago, to pitch tents to accommodate more exhibitors as the available space had been taken up for this year’s showcase.
This puts this year’s event as the biggest ever to be held in Bulawayo since 1959.
ZITF Company chairperson, Ms Ruth Ncube said all the space had been taken and the company had to pitch extra tents to accommodate more than 100 exhibitors.
She said: “The show is the biggest ever. We sold all possible space and for the first time in the history of ZITF we had to hire tents to accommodate 100 more exhibitors.
“This year we won’t be having VIP parking because we converted that space for extra exhibition space and the halls, which we haven’t been using for the last four to five years have been refurbished and converted to exhibition space.”
A trajectory graph depicting capacity utilisation at the exhibition centre shows that it has been on an upward trend over the last five years.
The space made available for sale rose from a low of 47 612 square metres in 2016 to a high of 57 732 square metres in 2019.
The Government also facilitated for the smooth holding of the event by availing fuel in Bulawayo. Fuel supplies in the city improved during this period as the Government weighed in to ensure the adequate for exhibitors and guests.
“We spoke to the Ministry of Energy (and Power Development) through our parent Ministry’s Minister (Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu) and he spoke to his counterpart that fuel supplies to Bulawayo should increase at least a week before ZITF to enable motorists to refuel their vehicles,” said Ms Ncube.
Among the first time exhibitors was Belarus which brought in a number of companies as Zimbabwe and that country continue to improve their economic relations. The United States of America returned to ZITF after a three-year absence.
Other countries that participated include Botswana, Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and Zambia.
Running alongside the ZITF was the Bulawayo Agricultural Show as well as the A’Sambeni Africa Tour and Travel Expo, a full-scale, regional, info-rich travel and tourism exhibition which showcases large and small operators. It also included specialised suppliers to the tourism industry.
The ZITF International Business Conference also took place and Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga was the guest speaker.
This year’s ZITF came as the Government intensified programmes towards economic recovery and growth in tune with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030. Under the vision, Zimbabwe should be an upper middle income economy in the next 11 years.
The economy is improving with investment proposals flowing in and many multi-billion dollar projects actualising in mining, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and many other sectors.
This indicates growing confidence in the economy. It is because of the growing confidence in the economy that the turnout at this year’s ZITF was a record.
Online Reporter