The Sunday News
Noble Ncube, Business Reporter
WOMEN in tourism have welcomed the decision announced by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority to allow women running and managing hospitality facilities to exhibit for free during the Sanganai/Hlanganani expo which will this year make a return to Bulawayo.
ZTA announced that as a way of encouraging participation of locals in such expos, women in around Bulawayo will exhibit for free at the expo which will be held later during the year.
Matabeleland region Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) deputy chairperson Mrs Beauty Bhulu said they welcomed the kind invite by ZTA to empower women and encourage intra tourism in the city.
She said it was imperative for women operating lodges and other hospitality facilities to register in order to benefit from such initiatives.
“It is a welcome gesture for ZTA to grant registered accommodation suppliers an opportunity to exhibit for free at this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani expo. We are happy to finally get a chance to be exposed and to market our services and products.
“Currently most of our members are working on their budgets to allow them to prepare enough for their exhibition spaces and the type of goods to showcase. As we are in the beginning of the year, people are rounding up their finances ahead of the busy business year,” she said.
In recent exhibitions local accommodation suppliers had failed to showcase their services because of high prices charged to exhibit.
ZTA announced that registered lodges owned by women were going to exhibit free of charge for the first year while they will pay 50 percent in the second year and then full price in the years following.
The ZTA regional manager for Bulawayo Mrs Novuyo Mathonsi said her office has started receiving applications from women intending to take advantage of the offer.
“There is enthusiasm among those offering accommodation as we have been receiving numerous applications. The women are happy and looking forward to the exhibition especially those that are registered.
“We also want to emphasise that the free of charge invite is only available to registered operators only. We will not accept applications from unregistered operators. We are still in the process of engaging more women to take advantage of the venture and market themselves,” she said.
The world-acclaimed tourism expo returns to Bulawayo after the Government gave a directive for the event to be held in a place with more adequate facilities.
Last year it was held in Harare.
The expo, which will be held at the ZITF, is also expected to rejuvenate tourism in Bulawayo, which like other industries in the city, has been operating at below capacity.
Last year, ZTA chief executive Karikoga Kaseke said the Sanganai/Hlanganani expo had come to stay in Bulawayo.
He said it was important for local players to participate in such conferences.
ZITF Company general manager Mrs Nomathemba Ndlovu asked service providers not to increase booking charges during business conferences and exhibitions.
According to a report from ZTA 2014 hotel occupancies for Bulawayo was 32 percent compared to Midlands’ 35 percent and Victoria’s Falls’ 40 percent. Harare had 43 percent.
