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Senior Business Reporter
A TOTAL of 120 buyers have so far booked space for this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani expo, Zimbabwe’s premier tourism travel exhibition to be held in Harare later this month.

The event is being organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) through the National Conventions Bureau and runs at the Harare International Conference Centre from June 18 to 20.

The National Conventions Bureau managing director Tesa Chikaponya told Business Chronicle they were looking forward to more buyers confirming participation ahead of the annual world tourism and travel fair.

“So far, we’ve 22 countries comprising exhibitors and 120 buyers that have confirmed participation at this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani fair. Africa and the Middle East have the most buyers totaling 67,” she said.

The countries being represented include China, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Egypt, the United Kingdom, United States of America and Kenya.

She said 102 stands with more than one exhibitor had already been taken.

“After rebranding, Sanganai/Hlanganani tourism fair has been getting stronger and stronger. This year as one of our major highlights, there’s going to be a Culinary Expo where 16 restaurants will have the opportunity to exhibit through live demonstrations the standard and quality of Indian, Portuguese, Zimbabwean and French foods,” she said.

The country’s tourism travel fair was rebranded last year to give it a business approach that creates the much needed value for exhibitors.

The rebranding of the event entails that the travel expo was now focusing on providing a business to business exchange earmarked for key decision makers who can conclude business deals and establish relationships on site.

Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair was traditionally held in October before being moved to June as ZTA took heed of the call made by exhibitors and buyers during the 2013 edition of the expo to move it to the first half of the year and make it in sync with their planning cycle.