The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Sekai Nzenza has expressed concern over the effect of the coronavirus on Zimbabwe’s trade and tourism. This came against the background of the fact business tourism depends on tourist arrivals to stay afloat.
Minister Nzenza was addressing a virtual annual general meeting of the ZITF Company, the organisers of the country’s premier international fair, the ZITF on 21 August.
According to a report carried by the online publication, New Zimbabwe last week, the minister regretted the postponement of the ZITF owing to the pandemic.
“The meeting comes at a time when the company’s major event has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic with negative impacts on revenue and tourism incomes for the Bulawayo community,” she said.
“We meet at a time when the outbreak of this global pandemic has caused unprecedented widespread disruptions to every facet of life,” Minister Nzenza said.
The Industry and Commerce minister urged the ZITF Company not to focus on the negative effects of the pandemic only but to also look for opportunities.
“Beyond the evaluation of the risks presented by the pandemic, ZITF must also look at the opportunities arising as the country continues to look inward in terms of production through the local content strategy and export development,”
The ZITF which was slated for 21 to 25 April this year was affected by the lockdown regulation which came into effect at the end of March. The company has not been able to host its Mining, Engineering and Transport exhibition (MineEntra) which is held in July every year due to the pandemic and it not clear whether or not it will be able to hold its Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Energy (WASHen) which is slated for next month.
The ZITF is not the only show organiser whose events have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ADMA AgriShow which was set for May was postponed while the BuildExpo construction industry show pencilled set for July was cancelled.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (former Harare Agricultural Show) whose annual slot of August is coming to an end is now set to be held in October the COVID-19 situation permitting. The holding of this year’s edition of provincial agricultural shows, which normally run from July to September, hangs in the balance as COVID-19 infection figures continue to soar.