eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
The country’s premier trade showcase, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), successfully opened yesterday after disturbances caused by Covid-19, with representatives of local and foreign exhibitors expressing satisfaction with measures put in place to curb the spread of the pandemic.
There are 11 countries represented at the 61st edition of the ZITF including: Botswana, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belarus, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria and Tanzania.
There are 396 local direct exhibitors.
The spike in Covid-19 cases prompted authorities to tighten lockdown measures, but finally the event is alive with President Mnangagwa expected to open it on Thursday.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is expected to lead the International Business Conference today while other events such as the ZITF Innovators’ Forum, the inaugural ZITF Diplomats Forum, the Bulawayo Agricultural Show, Scholastica Conference and the CZI/ZITF Indaba will be convened.
In separate interviews, the exhibitors said they were ready for the show and highly optimistic.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) had finished erecting its stand in Hall 4.
“This show will help us to recalibrate and we will be able to put up a good show. For us in the ICT sector, I think the theme, ‘Showcasing the New Normal for Business and Industry: Realities and Opportunities,’ resonates very well with our sector as we are a key enabler for the new normal,” a company official, Sibonginkosi Muteyiwa, commented.
“Our stand designer is excellent and we’ve been pushing for them to finish this by end of day today (Monday). We are excited that the President has allowed this show to happen so that we can actually share ideas and see how we can move forward as a country to achieve Vision 2030.”
The ICT sector is an enabler towards attainment of Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper middle-income economy.
“So, the trade fair is a great opportunity to meet with our consumers, partners and our potential investors in our country,” added Muteyiwa.
ZITF deputy chief executive officer, Stella Nkomo, said all was set for the trade fair.
“All is now set for ZITF 2021, which kicks off tomorrow (yesterday). Exhibitors are now putting final touches to their stands as they seek to creatively showcase their products and services,” she said.
“There is an aura of excitement after the cancellation of the show last year. This is because exhibitions such as ZITF are both a communication and promotion tool that is used to market products, services and brands.”
In this context, Nkomo said many companies view the ZITF as an integral part of their marketing mix as they seek to position themselves favourably in the local and global market, and more so, in the face of Covid-19, which disrupted a lot of businesses.
“Many companies are looking forward to generating sales leads as well as building and promoting their brands as part of assuring customers that they are still standing,” she said.
The trade fair is being held under strict Covid-19 guidelines with persons under 18 not allowed to attend the event as part of efforts to curb the disease from spreading among children.
Organisers of the show have also enlisted the help of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and key stakeholders in communicating and enforcing health and safety protocols outside the exhibition centre.
The ZITF 2021 was this year postponed twice, in April and August due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
