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Karikoga Kaseke

Business Correspondent
Buyers and exhibitors who had registered attendance for the 9th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani travel expo, are reportedly withdrawing the participation from the fair following reports that Zimbabwe was not prepared to deal with Ebola in the event of it being detected in the country.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Karikoga Kaseke told a breakfast meeting yesterday that about 15 buyers had withdrawn from participating in the Sanganai travel expo owing to rather false alarming reports of Ebola that were reported in Bulawayo recently.

“A lot of cancellations have been registered due to the Ebola article that was published a few weeks ago. 15 buyers have withdrawn from participating in the Sanganai. We had initially registered at least 60 buyers to date but following the Ebola article, 15 have pulled out due to a report from one media that Zimbabwe was not able to deal with Ebola.

“Now we hope we will have close to 100 buyers that is something in the range of 80 and 90 buyers this year. The buyers will also be hosted pre and post the Sanganai buy us,” said Mr Kaseke.

Ebola is a haemorrhagic fever or a disease of humans and primates caused by an Ebola virus. It was first discovered in African monkeys, chimps and other non-human primates.

Meanwhile, the ZTA has described the reports of possible Ebola presence in the country as hogwash and lacking substance and called on tourists and buyers to visit the country without any fear of contracting Ebola.

ZTA is working on realigning the Sanganai/Hlanganani travel expo so that it becomes a platform where business synergies are cemented unlike previous exhibitions.

“In meeting the ever — changing needs of the dynamic tourism sector the Authority found it fit to reposition Sanganai to a “Premier Business to Business Exchange”. Stakeholders and Tourism Players can expect a different Sanganai in 2014 with a new look, feel and special emphasis on business

“This year’s recruitment of exhibitors has been restricted to the tourism sector, closely related sectors such as ICT, transport, communication, and the immediate suppliers of the sector. Sanganai is also set to move towards custom made exhibition stands in an effort to meet international standards,” said Mr Kaseke.