ZITF won’t be cancelled says Moyo

Despite the uncertainty spawned by the coronavirus across the world, this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) will go on at a date which is yet to be advised. This was said by the ZITF Company board chairman, Busisa Moyo in an interview with a local weekly, the Sunday News last week.

“ZITF has been postponed for the time being and will be held at a date to be announced,” Moyo told the paper.

Moyo indicated that the international trade promotion parastatal did not stand to lose any revenue as the event had only been postponed and not cancelled.

“No revenue will be lost as we are looking at a postponement and not at a cancellation,” said Moyo who is also United Refineries Chief Executive Officer.

The trade fair which was pencilled to run from 21 to 25 April was postponed at the end of March as part of Government’s measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus given that the event brings together thousands of people.

Moyo highlighted that the ZITF Company was keeping its exhibitors and other stakeholders in the loop in terms of unfolding developments.

“Our management team is in touch with our earnest exhibitors and assessing the situation as it unfolds. It’s not only Zimbabwe that is affected, support industries such as airlines, hotels are currently down and our foreign exhibitors are also on lockdown in their countries due to Covid-19,” he said.

Moyo’s assurance follows a week of social media engagement with its stakeholders mostly visitors by the company during the week that the show was supposed to run. The engagement saw visitors nostalgically recounting their experiences at the trade fair’s previous editions. The company used the engagement to explain that the trade fair had only been postponed and not cancelled.