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Bulawayo ready for Sanganai/Hlanganani

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BULAWAYO is ready to embrace the world as the City of Kings hosts this year’s edition of the popular tourism expo Sanganai/Hlanganani which will run from June 16 to 18.
Traditionally, the country’s second largest city is known for hosting the annual Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
Sanganai/Hlanganani was first hosted in Bulawayo some years ago and moved to Harare where it has been hosted since.
Speaking to The Patriot, local organising committee chairman, Novuyo Mathonsi said the world is set to experience a memorable tourism affair.
“Since the announcement that Bulawayo would host this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani, there has been a lot of excitement in the province which is geared to show the world what it has to offer,” Mathonsi said.
“We are selling ‘Bulawayo’, hence a lot of lodge owners, tourism service providers, hoteliers and many others are working on a programme that will market the province.
“You are aware that the province hosts ZITF annually, which is bigger than Sanganai/Hlanganani, therefore the province will be able to accommodate all our visitors and exhibitors coming for this year’s edition.
“The first edition of Sanganai was hosted in Bulawayo in 2008.”
Bulawayo is rich in historical and tourism heritage which encompasses tourist attractions like Ntabazinduna and Matopos, to mention just a few.
Activities lined up include cultural tours to western surbubs (township tourism) which will give an opportunity to visitors to experience the life of an average family in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief operations officer Givemore Chidzidzi told the media recently that although the authority had intentions of postponing the event because of financial constraints, the fair would go ahead since government had injected over US$500 000.
“We had been contemplating postponing the fair because of financial constraints,” said Chidzidzi.
“As you know the fair has been funded by government since 2008 when it was adopted as a national event, but fortunately government has injected some finances so that the fair must go on.
“We are convinced that Sanganai/Hlanganani has become an essential stimulus to business growth both at sectorial and national levels.
“The tourism fair is now known to the world as an event which comes on those dates on a world tourism calendar hence if we had not hosted this event then, it would have cost the country a lot in bringing it back on the calendar.”
Chidzidzi commended Bulawayo for its preparedness in hosting the event this year.
“We would like to sincerely thank the working team, including the local organising committee based in Bulawayo,” he said.
“They have been investing a lot of effort to make sure the ground is even for the hosting of a successful event.
“We are optimistic the expo will have a lasting impression on our people in Bulawayo and I’m urging everyone, especially those in business, to take a keen interest in this event which we have since re-positioned to be a business-to-business event hence Africa’s premier business exchange.”
To date, at least 163 companies have registered to participate as exhibitors, which is an increase from last year’s edition where 128 companies exhibited.
The exhibitors are in various categories such as accommodation, tour operations, airlines, publicity associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Government institutions, among others
Currently 28 foreign exhibitors from countries such as Botswana, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, India and Indonesia have confirmed their participation.
Turning to international buyers, 128 are coming from UK, Spain and Germany and others from markets in the Americas, China, Asia and the Pacific, Africa and the Middle-East.
A total of 19 international journalists from countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, US, UK and Spain will also be part of the fair this year.
This is done in line with the media relations policy of the ZTA where they have identified the media as a critical partner in tourism development and promotion rather than being a mere spectator.
The first group of buyers jetted into the country on Monday, with others expected to arrive soon.
Pre-Sanganai/Hlanganani tours have been held to familiarise visitors with Zimbabwe’s tourist attractions.

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