THE country’s second largest city, Bulawayo, expects to reap yet another windfall from the 57th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), while business expects to get a massive boost from the fete that attracts international business.
Not only exhibitors benefit from the business bonanza, but other various stakeholders including home-owners who turn their homes into lodges to accommodate participants.
Exhibitors and prospective investors troop in for the show and bring to life the City of Kings and Queens.
All top hotels in the city are reportedly fully booked for the week of the fair and innovative home-owners capitalise on this shortage.
Despite the prevailing economic challenges and some pockets of negative publicity in the international media, organisers of the business fair said this year’s exhibition is bigger and better.
Togolese President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé is expected to officially open the fair running under the theme ‘Innovate, Integrate and Industrialise’.
Addressing journalists recently at a press conference, ZITF chairperson Bekithemba Nkomo said he was happy with the overall show, saying the products on display are better than those exhibited in the past few years.
“ZITF company this year decided to focus more on the quality of the exhibitions than the number of exhibitors,” said Nkomo.
“We are happy with the quality of the exhibits and we have noted an improvement in the quality of the products they are showing.”
Nkomo said 19 countries were participating at this year’s edition.
Among the countries represented are Zimbabwe, Botswana, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
As is the tradition, South Africa acquired the biggest exhibition space with 32 companies showcasing an array of products.
The vision of ZITF is to be the world’s first choice in offering innovative opportunities for social and business interaction.
According to the organisers of the fair, the ZITF company thrust is to constantly re-invent itself with novel event management techniques to generate maximum benefit for our clients.
Their exhibitions and events are the first place where industry trends, ideas and innovative products are unveiled, while bringing together a diverse audience to promote trade and investment in the country.
Nkomo dismissed claims that the ZITF was losing popularity and relevance.
He said the ZITF was transforming itself to refocus on promoting products from the local manufacturing sector in response to demands by its clients.
Nkomo said total bookings were at 45 683 square metres, meaning exhibitors had occupied 96 percent of the space available for sale.
This year’s trade fair saw an increase in exhibitors with 401 direct exhibitors, who include 34 foreign direct exhibitors participating, compared to last year’s 387 overall direct exhibitors.
Expectations are that this year’s showcase will position local industry players to clinch major deals and expand markets.
The annual International Business Conference, held alongside the fair, addressed the critical issues of innovation, industrialisation and regional integration while the Bulawayo Agricultural Society is exhibiting various livestock and farm produce.
Economists stressed the need to innovate as the cornerstone of industrialisation in the context of regional and global integration.
Regaining market footing is critical to local companies seeking to regain lost lustre after more than a decade of industrial reversal, pundits said.
The business exhibition runs concurrently with sector-specific expos that include– PakPrint, the packaging and printing industry exhibition; Ultim8 Home, the home improvement expo; Scholastica, the education and careers expo and Asambeni Africa expo.
The ZITF is one of the largest intra-regional trade fairs south of the Sahara.