This year’s edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo has been set for 12 to 14 October in Bulawayo. The organisers of the event, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) made the announcement in a media statement last week.
The annual event brings together key players and stakeholders in the global tourism industry, providing a platform for networking, collaboration, and showcasing the best of Zimbabwe’s tourism potential.
According to the ZTA, this year’s expo celebrates the resilience, dynamism, and untapped potential of Zimbabwe and Africa as a premiere tourism destination. Blessed with diverse range of destinations, wildlife, heritage, culture, and adventure offerings, Africa is emerging as a top choice for travellers worldwide.
The ZTA Chief Executive Officer, Winnie Muchanyuka expressed excitement about the upcoming event.
“The 2023 edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo will beam the light on tourism and place the entire travel and tourism on centre stage. We look forward to showcasing the beauty, heritage, and hospitality of our country, and promote Zimbabwe as an irresistible destination for travellers looking to experience authentic African tourism,” she said.
Commenting on the highlights and format of the event, Muchanyuka said participants should expect a variety of engaging and interactive activities during the expo. These include educational workshops to foster knowledge sharing, networking sessions to foster collaboration among industry experts, and award ceremonies to recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions in the tourism sector.
“An exciting array of activities awaits participants. These will include business-to-business meetings for industry players and buyers. A tourism investment forum will be held to showcase opportunities that are available to potential tourism sector investors. The aviation sector will also converge to talk about various issues affecting the aviation sector. A career guidance session will be held for the upcoming tourism leaders. Buyers will take up the usual destination site visits in the different locations across the destination to get an understanding of what the country’s incredible tourist attractions,” she said.
According to the tourism promotion body, the local tourism industry has undergone notable development and transformation in recent years, spurred by sustainable initiatives, improved infrastructure, and strategic partnerships. The Sanganai Hlanganani World Tourism Expo therefore serves as a powerful platform to further reinforce these achievements and position Zimbabwe as a leading destination for tourists from across the globe.
Muchanyuka appealed to new players in the tourism sector to take advantage of the Expo to exhibit and showcase their businesses.
“We’re encouraging the upcoming tourism players who have difficulties in accessing the market to come and register as exhibitors and be able to use this platform to market their facilities to the broader tourism family and more so to the visiting international buyers,” Muchanyuka said,