By Tatenda Mujeyi
All is set for the Sanganai/ Hlanganani Tourism Expo to be held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre from the 12th to the 14th in Bulawayo.
The organisers, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) emphasised their preparedness and commitment to make this year’s event a success.
“We are committed to making this a Sanganai/Hlanganani with a difference as it comes days after I was elected into this post. I would like to emphasise the experience I have dealing with Sanganai/Hlanganani,” ZTA Chief Executive Givemore Chidzidzi said.
The Expo has currently realised a 79% registration space with the organisers anticipating continuing registration until the Expo commences on 12 September.
“4 181 stands out of the total 5 278 exhibition stands have been booked. We expect 260 Exhibitors who are registered to date and a further 170 buyers have also confirmed their participation in areas cutting across the market,” Chidzidzi said.
Sanganai/Hlanganani has realised a significant uptake of exhibition stands by the SADC group of countries, with Botswana taking the most space.
“We have exhibitors from Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. Botswana has however taken up the most space as they have a stand with 15 Exhibitors,” Chidzidzi also said.
The tourism business convergence is this year running under the Meetings Incitives Conference and Exhibitions.
“We are this year running the expo under the Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions, MICE, as a way to lure tourists who are interested in meetings, incentives, conferences and tourism packaging,” ZTA Marketing Manager Pauline Ndlovu said.
This year’s event will cater for intellectuals, women, youths and those in the culinary department through a variety of projects that will run alongside the Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo.
The organisers emphasised that they were working around the clock to see to it that the energy and money challenges experienced in Zimbabwe currently were addressed..
“There is a marked improvement in the supply and access of fuel in the past few weeks and we have also discussed with fuel suppliers to see to it that the fuel challenges do not affect the Expo. We are also discussing with our banking partners to see to it that the financial challenges do not affect the expo,” Chidzidzi said.
There was further emphasis by the organisers that they had taken the event as a platform from which Zimbabwe could be positively marketed.
“We are luring tourists through Sanganai/Hlanganani itself. We are presenting a positive platform from which Zimbabwe could be marketed,” Chidzidzi added.