The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company has pledged that the trade fair organiser will make sure that this year’s ZITF will be safe despite the COViD-19 pandemic. This was said by the company’s Chairman, Busisa Moyo in a statement issued last week to inform the market of the event’s dates.
The event is set to run from 20 to 23 July 2021 under the theme: “Showcasing the New Normal for Business & Industry: Realities and Opportunities.”
Moyo assured stakeholders that his company would ensure that all necessary steps are taken to ensure a safe event.
“As preparations for the exhibition step up, the ZITF Company wishes to assure its various stakeholders of its commitment to ensuring that all reasonable steps to promote and maintain safe and healthy conditions for participants,” he said.
Moyo highlighted that his company would collaborate with stakeholders to come up with a show format that ensure COVID-19 safety.
“(The) show organisers will be working closely with local and national health authorities to format the show in a manner which complies with health and safety regulations and provides reduced exposure risk,” said Moyo.
The ZITF boss, who is also the United Refineries Chief Executive Officer, indicated that would inform stakeholders of this year’s exhibition’s guidelines. He hinted at new stand lay out and the adoption of a hybrid type of a show.
“Over the course of the next few days and weeks, our teams will be in touch with exhibitors, buyers and other key stakeholders with information on the show’s operational guidelines.”
“However, stakeholders can expect to see new features which include heightened health and safety protocols, modified venue layouts, more digital and hybrid meeting platforms, and an emphasis on numbers management,” Moyo said.
Moyo expressed hope that the ongoing national COVID-19 vaccination programme would go some way in ensuring some form of protection ahead of the event.
“With the planned voluntary mass vaccination for Bulawayo Province, we also hope that sufficiently high numbers will have been vaccinated to achieve some level of herd immunity in time for the show,” he said.
The trade fair, which is set to run for four days instead of the traditional five, is Zimbabwe’s flagship business event. The company skipped the event last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this year it was moved to July from its usual April slot as the first quarter of the year coincided with the second wave of the pandemic.
