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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter

ACTING Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Kirsty Coventry, who is also Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, will officially open this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo tomorrow.

The country’s prime tourism fair begins today and is being organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA). It ends on Saturday. In an interview, ZTA chief operating officer Mr Givemore Chidzidzi said:

“This year’s event will be officially opened by the Acting Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Honourable Kirsty Coventry on Friday (tomorrow)”.

Business Chronicle visited the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre, the venue of the tourism expo yesterday, where there was a hive of activity as exhibitors were erecting their stands ahead of the show. On Tuesday, ZTA head of corporate affairs Mr Godfrey Koti said all was set all was set for this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani expo. He said the majority of the international buyers from major source markets were expected in Bulawayo by yesterday from their traditional pre-tours across the country’s tourist attraction centres.

Each year before the tourism showcase, international buyers and media visit the tourist attraction sites such as Nyanga, Gonarezhou and Victoria Falls to get an appreciation of the tourist sites before packaging and marketing them across the world.

This year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo has attracted international buyers from regional and international countries such as South Africa, Botswana, India, Americas, and the United Kingdom.

A total of 260 exhibitors have registered to participate at this year’s fair while a total of 170 buyers including 25 international media from the country’s different source markets have confirmed participation. — @okazunga.