The Sunday News
Business Reporter
AT least 20 buyers from the Southern African Development Community countries have confirmed participation at the A’sambeni Business Tourism Expo scheduled to run concurrently with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) next week.The buyers, according to the organisers, are an elite group of regional Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events (MICE) people with an interest to sample and promote the country’s tourism sector.
The 20 buyers were invited by the ZITF Company working with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
“They will arrive in the country in a week’s time, in time for their meetings with exhibitors as well as other players in the tourism industry.
Their mandate is to source new markets, link local players with international clients, as well as to promote the country as a prime destination for meetings and conventions.
“The buyers represent high-level decision makers and influencers with diverse interest in the MICE Industry. Their involvement with the local players is likely to bring attention to the country’s world-class business tourism facilities,” said the ZITF Company general manager, Mrs Nomathemba Ndlovu.
One of the organisations represented by the buyers include the African Bureau of Conventions which promotes Africa as the ideal destination in which to hold your conventions, meetings and events.
Destination management service companies provide all aspects of travel and tourism services for leisure and business tourism.
There will be journalists representing leading MICE publications such as Business Event Africa and event, conference organising and event management companies seeking new destinations and facilities in which to hold their events.
The regions serviced by the buyers include Asia, Europe, South America as well as Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.
“This year’s A’sambeni has attracted local and international participants displaying a healthy mix of business tourism-related products and services. The foreign countries exhibiting under A’sambeni include Egypt, Iran and South Africa.
“Exhibition space is still available and service providers in the business tourism sector are urged to take up this prime marketing and promotion opportunity. The other highlights of the business tourism expo are the MICE educational workshops that will be held on 24 April,” Mrs Ndlovu said.
She said the purpose of these workshops was to educate corporates on how to increase productivity and become winning organisations through incentive travel, as well as highlighting the role played by associations and non-governmental organisations in profiling Zimbabwe as a meetings and conferencing destination.
A’sambeni is one of four sector-specific expos which run concurrently with the annual, multi-sectoral trade showcase ZITF. The other three are Scholastica, Pakprint and Ultim8 Home.
To date 93 percent of the exhibition space has been booked out of an available 50 457 square metres.
The premier exhibition will be officially opened by the President of Congo-Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso on 25 April.
It has managed to attract representation from 18 countries. National stands are from Botswana, Brazil, China, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Poland, South Africa, USA and Zambia while Bangladesh, India and Nigeria will be represented by individual companies.
