The country’s premier trade exposition, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), kicked off in Bulawayo yesterday with a noticeable contrast between foreign exhibitors, who arrived fully prepared and many local participants who were still scrambling to set up their stands.
The 66th edition of the ZITF, running under the theme Connected Economies, Competitive Industries, is being held at the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City. Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko is expected to officially open the exhibition on Thursday.
A survey by NewsDay observed that several international exhibitors had already completed their displays and were ready for business on the opening day. In contrast, many local exhibitors were still offloading equipment, mounting structures, painting and making last-minute adjustments to their exhibition spaces.
At the Ghanaian pavilion, exhibitors expressed readiness and enthusiasm to engage the Zimbabwean market. A representative of Eva Yoyo Wear said their stand was fully set up and ready to receive visitors.
“We have come all the way from Ghana to attend this year’s exhibition. You know the relationship between Ghana and Zimbabwe we are one. We Ghanaians are your in-laws,” she said.
“We are here with beautiful print, made-in-Ghana clothes and slippers. Our stand is set — we are ready to exhibit.”
Keep Reading
- Inside Sport: Local stadiums in urgent need of attention
- Ghetto dances: When love of money goes beyond bounds of sanctity
- Dawson pleased ahead of World Cup qualifiers
- Eva heads for Miss Heritage Global
The exhibitor, participating at the fair for the second time after an 18-year break, said her return was motivated by a desire to reconnect and explore business opportunities.
Similarly, exhibitors from Kenya said they were fully prepared ahead of the opening.
“We are ready to exhibit. I have come with Kenyan products such as slippers, African shirts and handbags,” she said.
“I have taken part at the trade in the past four years. I am happy to be here — everything is in place and we are ready to start.”
Despite the delayed setup among many local exhibitors, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) have shown strong participation this year, with several embracing digital tools in their displays, reflecting a growing shift towards digitisation.
During Press briefing last week, ZITF Company board chairperson Busisa Moyo said it was difficult to have a cut-off date for all exhibitors to complete setting up exhibition pavilions.
“Putting a deadline for preparations, I think, is a great idea. But to also accommodate people coming from far and wide and those with exhibits facing challenges at entry points, one has to be sensitive as well,” he said.
“So the logistics are difficult to clear. While we want to be strict, we also need to be sensitive to logistics. It’s a week-long event and we want to set realistic deadlines.
“It would make for a very neat exhibition if everybody is ready by Monday. We do try to emphasise that and push our exhibitors to be ready on time.”
Moyo added that delays could also be attributed to Independence Day celebrations, as the public sector, which accounts for 42% exhibition visibility, was engaged in other national activities, including exhibition in Maphisa.
The exhibition has attracted 485 direct exhibitors, including 100 leaseholders. International participation remains strong, with 46 exhibitors from 29 countries, including Belarus, Belgium, Botswana, China, Denmark, Eswatini, Ethiopia and the European Union.
Other participating countries include Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Zambia.
The country’s premier trade showcase runs until Saturday, bringing together local and international businesses under one platform. The disparities in preparedness highlight the challenges faced by domestic exhibitors.