Bulawayo gears up for Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo

BULAWAYO is gearing up to host the 17th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre, with the premier event expected to draw over 400 local companies and participants from eight countries.

The tourism event, poised to be a significant showcase for the country’s tourism industry, will run from September 12 to 14. The official opening and awards ceremony will be held on September 13.

Addressing the journalists yesterday in Harare, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Barbra Rwodzi, expressed optimism about this year’s expo, saying the event promises to be larger and more impactful, building on the momentum of previous editions.

“Exhibitor recruitment is already in progress and to date 410 companies have registered to participate at Sanganai/Hlanganani 2024. To date, eight countries have registered to participate at the expo and will be bringing operators from their countries, these are South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Embassy of Iran, Angola and Nigeria,” she said.

“South Africa and Botswana have indicated that they will bring 10 operators each. Namibia will bring six operators. Two countries have already expressed that they won’t be exhibiting this year due to financial constraints and these are Rwanda and Mozambique.”

Minister Rwodzi said they are looking forward to having a bigger expo this year with elaborate sustainable tourism initiatives and a showcase of gastronomy tourism.

The annual expo has been gradually growing, from 310 exhibitors in 2017 to 375 last year and more than 400 expected this year.

The expo’s growth trajectory is clear, with regional and international exhibitors increasing steadily each year.

Minister Rwodzi highlighted that the target for international exhibitors has risen to 40, up from 34 last year. This growth underscores the expo’s importance as a platform for Zimbabwe and its neighbours to showcase their tourism offerings to the world.

This year’s expo will feature new and exciting initiatives. For the first time, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation Science and Technology Development will introduce Tourism Innovation Hubs.

This initiative aims to support young academics by providing them with a platform to present their innovative ideas to a global audience.

In addition, the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) masterclass will be a key highlight.

“We are bringing Mice experts from across Africa to deliberate on pertinent issues regarding Mice tourism development and growth,” said Minister Rwodzi.

Mice tourism, which involves business-related travel for meetings, conferences and exhibitions, is becoming an increasingly prominent segment within the country’s tourism landscape.

Minister Rwodzi also launched Tourism Month, urging the nation to join in celebrating World Tourism Day on September 27. This day, established by the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism), formerly known as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), aims to raise awareness of tourism’s economic, social, cultural and environmental importance.

Zimbabwe’s tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience and growth over the past year. International arrivals in the first half of 2024 increased by 27 percent, reaching 751 483, compared to 592 567 during the same period in 2023.

This surge in visitors has also translated into a 24 percent increase in tourism receipts, with the sector contributing US$493 million to the economy in the first half of the year.

Tourism remains a crucial component of Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for approximately 5,7 percent of GDP and 3,5 percent of national employment.

Minister Rwodzi said continued investment in the tourism sector, along with improvements in infrastructure such as airports and road networks, will be key to achieving Zimbabwe’s ambitious goal of a US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025. —chronicle