BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
A total of 38 buyers have arrived in Zimbabwe ahead of their pre-tours of the country’s prime resort towns before the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo.
According to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) over 100 buyers from across the world will attend the 15th edition expo, which will run from October 13 to 15 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
As per tradition, buyers have started their tours to the country’s resorts to scan around potential business opportunities.
Tours include leisure resorts such as Nyanga, Vumba, Mutare, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi and Bulawayo.
The expo will be the first in-person meeting since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani-World Tourism Expo is a signature event and an ideal meeting place for developing quality business relationships and establishing strategic business partnerships with world tourism players
ZTA expressed excitement over the latest edition of the annual tourism trade fair.
So far exhibitors from South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and DRC have confirmed attendance.
Buyers from Zimbabwe’s traditional source markets that include the USA, the UK, Germany, China and Dubai are expected to attend.
“We’re very delighted to announce that we have had a very positive response from the international community, particularly the critical source markets that we deal with. We shall be having about 100 quality buyers,” ZTA head corporate affairs Godfrey Koti said.
“With the pandemic it has been a tough time for tourism but we are excited that the sector is on the rebound on the back of strategies being implemented by the various sector players.”
Koti said at least 250 exhibitors from regional and international markets have registered to be part of the premier business exchange platform.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo is expected to help reposition destination Zimbabwe into a world class marketing platform that will also in turn, give the country the requisite receipts for the tourism sector