adminClara Mawere Business Reporter
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair to refocus A’Sambeni Africa Tourism and Travel Expo into a stand-alone show focusing on meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke said the move was meant to promote business tourism and separate A’Sambeni from Sanganai/Hlanganani, which is a leisure travel fair.
“We want to refocus A’Sambeni to be a show on its own not a complementary of Sanganai/Hlanganani Travel Show and it will focus more on the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) forum. This will help to differentiate A’Sambeni from Sanganai/Hlanganani, which is predominantly a leisure travel fair, thus the country will have to major in travel shows,” he said.
Mr Kaseke added that the show will start this year in Bulawayo because the infrastructure at the ZITF is not fully used. The show will also promote MICE tourism and give local stakeholders opportunities to engage with local, regional, and international firms.
“ZITF provides the local MICE players with access to leading local, regional and international corporate presenting an ideal opportunity to target, develop and promote MICE tourism. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to meet and sell packages to the multi sectors represented at the ZITF since it is a multi-sectoral and multi-national trade exhibition, which links exhibitors to both trade and public visitors,” he said.
ZTA is recruiting MICE oriented exhibitors and connecting them with buyers coming from the region and beyond. MICE buyers from the region will have an opportunity to travel around the country on familiarisation tours.
Site inspections of the facilities for MICE business will also be a major component of the tours. The forum will engender healthy and open discussions on ways of enhancing Zimbabwe’s capacity and capability in driving this type of tourism.
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