As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on Zimbabwe’s socio-economic life, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company is assessing options on how to hold the 2021 edition of the ZITF. This came to the fore when the ZITF Company Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Stella Nkomo commented on the matter on Twitter last Friday.
ZITF2021 is pencilled to be held from 20 to 24 April 2021 under the theme, “Leveraging technology as the new normal for business.”
Responding to a tweet by researcher, Thando Nkomo who had suggested that the company could consider adopting a virtual format, Nkomo indicated that her organisation was looking at many various formats.
“Noted with thanks, we are exploring as many options as possible. Thanks for the insight bhudi,” she tweeted.
Nkomo hinted that, in view of the raging pandemic, ZITF2021 would be either a virtual or hybrid exhibition. The ZITF Company was, however, worried by the spectre of a show without the in-person component which the market is used to.
“(W)e are working at either hosting a blended or virtual show. It’s just that if you take away the personal in exhibitions, you have removed the thing. Grinning face with smiling eyes,” she tweeted.
Some ZITF show goers were hopeful that a face-to-face ZITF would be held.
“(I am) hoping for a physical one (show). I guess it can be shortened to three days, and be limited to business days only. It will be easier to manage (the) numbers and COVID-19 regulations. I wonder how a virtual one would look like,” tweeted local government researcher who only identified himself as Bukhosi.
Responding to Bukhosi’s question on what the chances of ZITF2021 being held were, Nkomo indicated that the ZITF Company would continue to monitor the situation before giving the assurance that the show would go on in one format or the other.
“(We are) still hopeful. We just have to monitor these three months. However, whatever the case may be, we will have ZITF2021, it can be physical, hybrid or virtual,” Nkomo tweeted.
The 2020 edition of the ZITF, which was scheduled to run from 21 to 25 April 2020, could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown. Government implemented a lockdown from the end of March last year as part of measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
