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fair South of the Sahara, begins at the traditional the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre venue in Bulawayo today.
It will run until Saturday.
Running under the theme “Optimising Business Synergies – Now and Beyond”, ZITF, with a new logo, is set to be officially opened by the president and chair of the Africa-Export-Import Bank board Ivorian Jean-Louis Ekra, making this year’s edition the first to be opened by a businessman after a long line of heads of state.
Apart from the rich history that dates back to May 1960 when the first “Central Africa Trade Fair” was launched on a site that had been used as a venue for trade and/or agricultural shows since 1899, ZITF offers exposure to both trade and public visitors, the multi-sectoral, multi-national expo provides the largest, most convenient trade hub in the region.
Its location in Bulawayo, the centre of Southern Africa, is at the crossroads of the regional trade and transportation routes.
Its extensive, 17-hectare permanent exhibition centre offers over 58 000 square metres of developed exhibition space and provides ideal venues at which to meet the deal-makers and the new industrialists first-hand
According to the ZITF website this year’s focus will be on the capability of the Zimbabwean economy to produce high quality goods and services.
The following product groups are on offer:
l Equipment, expertise for agricultural development;
l Machinery and goods for infrastructural development;
l Machinery and goods for value addition in mining, manufacture, tourism;
l Machinery and goods for ICT development;
l Consultancy services and products for energy and water provision;
l Investment in agriculture, tourism, mining, manufacture.
The following are the product categories at ZITF:
l Agricultural/irrigation equipment/water engineering/ecological management/livestock management;
l Agricultural produce/arboriculture/horti-culture/fisheries;
l Arts and crafts;
l Automotive/garage equipment/transport: aviation, boating, bicycles, motorcycles, rail, vehicles;
l Building/construction/civil engineering/ hardware;
l Business Services: Advertising, banking, Finance, Business Management, Consultancy, Courier Services, Exhibitions/Congresses, Franchising, Industrial Design, Insurance, Investment, Property Management, Securities, Subcontracting/Export Promotion, Investment, Research and Development.
l lothing/Textiles/Haberdashery/Upholstery/ Production Machinery Equipment;
l Children’s Nursery Goods;
l Computers/Informatics/Office Equipment/ Audio-Visual Equipment/Hi-Tech/Communica-tion Systems (Media, Networks);
l Consumer Goods/Gift Items/Jewellery/ Accessories;
l Cosmetics/Toiletries/Hairdressing;
l Distributors and Wholesalers;
l Electrical Engineering/Electronics;
l Food/Food Processing/Beverages/Cater-ing;
l Footwear/Leather Goods;
l Furniture/Interior Decorating/Wood Products/ Household Equipment;
l Light and Heavy Engineering/Tools/ Pneumatic Equipment;
l Leisure/Tourism/Sport/Outdoor Living;
l Energy (Electric, Hydro, Solar, Thermal, Wind): Production, Equipment, Distribution;
l Mining /Minerals Processing /Geology;
l Public Services (Culture And Conser-vation, Education and Training, Government, Medical, Health);
l Packaging/Labelling/Bottling;
l Paper Products/Publishing/Printing/ Stationery/Graphic Art (Petro) Chemicals/ Pharmaceuticals/Medical, Laboratory and Scientific Products, Instruments & Equipment;
l Plastics/Rubber/Glassware/Porcelain/ Crockery;
l Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning/ Heating;
l Tourism and Hospitality.
There are a number of advantages that companies will derive from exhibiting at ZITF this year.
Some of these include the City of Bulawayo itself, which, apart from being run by one of the most efficient local authorities in Southern Africa, which would facilitate
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l From Page B5
investment in the City after a successful participation in ZITF is the central hub for rail, road and air services, making both exhibiting, imports and investment easier.
Bulawayo is situated close to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia which offers excellent and economical export opportunities.
ZITF benefits from the city’s substantial infrastructure for industry, commerce and services.
National University of Science and Technology (NUST) offers businesses that are established in Bulawayo excellent Research and Development facilities and a pool of well-trained graduates. ZITF works with NUST to source speakers and skills for its various conferences and workshops.
While at ZITF participants can take advantage of the proximity of the Matobo Hills with its incredible collection of ancient rock paintings, Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park with its exceptional wild life and Khame Ruins to do some spectacular sight-seeing.
Bulawayo is the central major city in the Trans-Limpopo initiative – an economic corridor which runs from Polokwane in the Limpopo Province of South Africa to Victoria Falls. Many ZITF visitors and exhibitors come from the corridor, offering excellent investment opportunities.