By Richmore Tera.
Harare. (News Of The South) – This year’s edition of the Zimbabwe’s Sanganai/ Hlanganani – World Tourism Expo opened Thursday here on a promising note with exhibitors – who are traders drawn from various parts of the world – showcasing their products.
One observer aptly put it when he said: “Sanganai is shaping up, hey?”
Held at the traditional venue, The Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), the three-day tourism, business, arts and culture fete this year promises to be bigger and better with an increase in the number of exhibitors as well some new incentives for both the business players and members of the media who have been active players in the tourism sector and are therefore being honoured at this event for the first time since inception as the Shanyai/ Vakatshani Zimbabwe International Travel Expo in 1982 before it evolved into an international fete in 2007.
The awards seek to honour outstanding journalists in the various categories on offer and these include print, electronic, social, documentary, photography among others.
Zimbabwe Tourism and Hospitality Industries Minister Walter Mzembi, commended journalists for their outstanding work in promoting Zimbabwean tourism and added that the industry played a pivotal role in the country’s Gross Domestic Product, which contributes directly to the country’s economy.
“That is the reason why we are holding one segment of this year’s expo under the theme, ‘Tourism – Africa’s Sleeping Giant Towards Double Digit for Market Share by 2020. This is the round-table session that will be anchored by the guest of honour who is none other than the South African minister of Tourism,” he said.
Minister Mzembi also took the opportunity to announce how the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, which falls under his ministry and who are the organisers of the travel expo, scooped a prominent international award.
“The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) was shortlisted for the Routes Middle East and Africa Marketing Awards in the Destination category and invited to send a destination profile for consideration by an independent panel of judges from the airline netowrk planning community.
“This year there were four awards categories comprising of three airport categories…(and) the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority was announced as the overall winner of the Destination Marketing of 2015 Routes Marketing Award during the Networking Evening in the Kingdom of Bahrain on June 1, 2015,” he said.
Meanwhile, this year’s expo will see the days holding events such as the Business Days, Sanganai Culinary Expo, Sanganai Press Conference, CE – Buyers Meeting, ICT in Tourism Workshop, Ministers’ Roundtable Meeting, Buyers’ and Media Dinner, Career Guidance Workshop and Sanganai Awards Cocktail taking place.
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