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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE construction of a 250-seater conference centre in Gweru has been completed thereby positioning the city for wider tourism opportunities as a conferencing destination.

Named “Changamire”, the new conference facility is situated at the Village Lodge and is earmarked to promote growing interest in meetings, conferences and exhibitions.

The Village Lodges Group was established in 2007 and its lodge is situated 5km from the central business district along the Gweru-Harare Highway.

Prior to the construction of the new facility, conferences and exhibitions were being held in a tent.

The Gweru-based hospitality group runs several other hospitality facilities besides the Village Lodge which is its flagship.

In an interview after the tour of the conference centre, company manager Mr Ephias Zvizvai said they were aiming at repositioning Gweru as a conferencing destination.

“Changamire Conference Centre is now open for bookings. It came after the realisation that we need a permanent structure for conferences and exhibitions. Remember we have held many successful exhibitions and conferences in a tent outside but now we have this building, which is ready to hold weddings, conferences and exhibitions,” he said.

Mr Zvizvai said the group was confident that the new facility will attract conferences to the Village Lodge and grow the tourism sector in the province and the country at large.

He said their vision was to increase room capacity to meet the expected high demand for accommodation.