via 911 exhibitors register for Sanganai/Hlanganani expo so far | The Zimbabwean by Edgar Gweshe 18.09.13
A total of 911 exhibitors have so far booked space for this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani expo, Zimbabwe’s premier tourism travel exhibition, set to be held from October 10-12.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive Officer, Karikoga Kaseke, made the revelations while addressing journalists in the capital today.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani expo is an annual travel and tourism fair aimed at showcasing a variety of Africa’s best tourism products Kaseke said the number 911 exhibitors that have booked space so far have taken up 171 stands, which translate to 3 377 square meters out of the available 4 397 square meters but said the figures are lower than those of last year around the same period.
“Last year, around this time we had received more exhibitors than we have now in terms of exhibition space. Maybe we will catch up. Last year by this time, we had over 1 000 exhibitors but at the moment, we have 911 and there is still some few space remaining and we hope within the next few weeks, the exhibitors would have taken up the remaining space,” said Kaseke.
Kaseke said that a total of 47 foreign exhibitors had managed to book 23 stands adding that 120 hosted buyers were set to grace the event.
He said most of the buyers set to grace the tourism event were “from the East” adding that they had failed to get a positive response from the United Kingdom although other countries such as France, Germany and the United States would be sending their representatives.
Kaseke said that there was more demand for internal space as a total of 1 647 square meters were booked against the available 1 494 square meters.
With regards to the external space, a total of 1 703 square meters has so far been booked out of the available 2 903 square meters.
This year’s edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani expo will see the hosting of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Business Forum set to be held on October 10.
“The forum will include international and local MICE experts such as Mister Gary Grimmer from Australia. Mister Grimmer has assisted MICE renowned destinations such as Singapore, Cape Town and Copenhagen.
“Local players include Glen Byrom who pioneered the development of Incentive Tourism in Zimbabwe through his former company called Green Route.-Daniel Chigaru – the Vice Chairperson of Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company (former ZITF General Manager), and the ZCT President, Glen Stutchbury, among others,” said Kaseke.
Kaseke said that the hosting of this years’ edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani expo had cost a total of $750 000 which he said was secured from the Ministry of Finance.
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