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Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter

EXHIBITORS at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) have started working on their pavilions in readiness for the prime trade exhibition, ZITF deputy chief executive officer Ms Stella Nkomo  said yesterday.

The exhibitions will be held from 26 to 30 April under the theme: Rethink, Reimagine and Reinvent Value Chains for Economic Development”.

 

Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta will officially open the international trade expo on April 29.

Ms Nkomo said the response from exhibitors was tremendous and many of them have started working on their stands ahead of the start of the trade expo.

She attributed the good response to the ZITF’s appealing marketing strategy.

“ZITF has over the years proved that its a good marketing platform for both big and small businesses hence the good response from exhibitors who are confident of opening new markets during the exhibition week,” she said.

Ms Nkomo said the exhibition space has been taken up by both local and foreign exhibitors and as ZITF they were confident of a successful exhibition week.

The ZITF Chief Executive Officer, Dr Nicholas Ndebele said 471 exhibitors have taken up exhibition space and there was an overflow of 128 exhibitors.

Ms Nkomo said efforts were underway to ensure all those interested in participating  at this year’s trade showcase are  accommodated.

“Efforts are being made to accommodate everyone.

This is a critical marketing   platform for the country which should accommodate all businesses that want to use it,” she said.

Ms Nkomo said ZITF was also a platform for SMEs to interact and learn from established businesses as they work to grow their businesses.

“SMEs are a very critical component of ZITF and we want to nurture them because we appreciate that many big businesses today started as SMEs,” said Ms Nkomo.

She said it is a fact that most world economies are being driven by SMEs hence the need to support them..

Angola, Belarus, Botswana, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia have confirmed their participation this year.

— @sikhulekelaniM1