Trade Fair a success, says ZITF

The 56th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) ended on Saturday after five days of business and trade.

The country's biggest multi-sectoral exhibition, which ran under the theme, "Stimulating Trade: Seizing Opportunities to Accelerate Growth", attracted both local and foreign participants from 19 countries.

This year's show, which organisers described as "compact and structured", occupied a total of 45 583 square metres, accounting for 91 percent of available space.

The Trade Fair saw a total of 611 exhibitors taking up space, of which 388 were direct while 223 were indirect exhibits.

Looking at local participation, 53 percent of exhibitors were Harare-based companies while 33 percent came from the host city of Bulawayo.

The remainder came from other parts of the country. About 70 percent of companies which participated last year, according to ZITF Company management, returned.

A major shift in this year's exhibition was the sharp decline in the space occupied by China and South Africa, which traditionally have been the biggest exhibitors at the annual showcase.

Mozambique emerged the biggest exhibitor this year in terms of space occupied, ZITF marketing and public relations manager, Stella Nkomo, said. She did not give figures.

She however said in terms of the country that brought more companies, South Africa topped with over 20 companies.