Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company has secured a partner that has committed US$12 million towards the construction of a modern shopping centre.
This move will mark a major step forward in the transformation of its trade exhibition hub in Bulawayo.
The development is part of a broader initiative to modernise the ZITF grounds, which includes plans for a state-of-the-art 5000-seater conference centre and two hotels—a five-star and a four-star facility.
The revitalised site will be renamed the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City (ZICES), aligning with the national agenda to harness technology and adopt sustainable, environmentally friendly practices.
The transformation is anchored in the ZITF Company’s “Visionary Masterplan,” unveiled last year, which outlines a long-term strategy to establish Bulawayo as Zimbabwe’s leading destination for world-class exhibitions and conferencing.
Providing an update at the ongoing International Business Conference (IBC) in Bulawayo, ZITF Company chairman Mr Busisa Moyo said the is progress made on the modernisation front.
“I am pleased to announce, just very briefly, that last year we unveiled our ambitious plan to upgrade ZITF grounds into a smart exhibition city,” said Mr Moyo.
“And we have made a lot of progress and found a partner to develop a modern shopping center near the arena area. And they have committed to investing US$12 million to the development of this retail shopping center.
“We have opened up to expressions of interest to develop the convention center, the four and five-star hotel precinct also on ZITF grounds, in line with NDS1 and the follow-up in NDS2 to upgrade exhibition facilities and the MICE industry, so that we continue to attract high-caliber exhibitions and exhibitors.”
The IBC, held under the theme “Revitalising Industrialisation for Zimbabwe’s Economic Resurgence,” serves as the country’s premier platform for strategic dialogue, bringing together government leaders, policymakers and industry experts to explore integrated industrialisation as a key to sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness.
