By Nompilo Mathuthu
Organisers of the leading international exhibition the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) are making efforts to host this year’s showcase with preparations already progressing well despite the setback caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.
The trade showcase was last year forced to cancel the often week-long event due to a lockdown that stretched right to the end of the year.
Speaking to Skyz Metro FM news , (ZITF) acting General Manager Nick Ndebele , said hopes that the event will be held this year were high.
“We remain confident that we will have the show this year; more so, now that globally, discourse around the pandemic has shifted to the solution, which is vaccination of populations.”
Ndebele said upon review of the current lockdown if adjusted to level three , the company will reconsider moving the show to the month of May instead of the traditional month of April to improve and build confidence levels so that all stakeholders feel safe to make first steps to the show floors.
“We will stand guided by our principal, the government of Zimbabwe, in terms of the scheduling of the show seeing that the traditional time of April has been affected by the recent Level IV lockdown imposed by the government to suppress the spread of the second wave of the pandemic.
He also said they were committed to reopening in a controlled and responsible manner as safety remains their number one priority.
The ZITF is the biggest annual economic conference in the country where businesspeople from all walks of life from exhibitors to those who go just for fun flock into Bulawayo, bringing in wider business benefits mainly to the tourism sector and down the value chain.
Due to the cancellation of the event last year, the country lost approximately US$ 2 million.
