BUSINESS REPORTER
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is participating at the Tourism Expo Japan, which kicked off Thursday, as it seeks to lure tourists from the world’s third largest economy.
The expo runs up to September 25.
Tourism Expo Japan is organised by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association, Japan Association of Travel Agents and Japan National Tourism Organisation.
This is a prestigious travel trade event attended by key tourism players from the world over.
This year’s expo is running under the theme, ‘Taking on the New Era, offering Zimbabwe an opportunity to reactivate tourism and create demand for the destination as the world reopens after two years of restrictions to stem the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
ZTA chief executive, Winnie Muchanyuka, said Zimbabwe is participating at the Expo to increase tourist traffic from Japan.
In 2018 Zimbabwe received a total of 34 214 tourists signalling a great potential that the Japan market has.
“There is need to intensify our marketing efforts through active participation at fairs such as these as they generate travel interest for our destination thereby regaining the market share that was lost during the Covid-19 period,” Muchanyuka said.
Tourism Expo Japan is one of the leading travel shows on the Asian calendar that offers both B2B and B2C networking opportunities targeting Asia’s leading travel trade and consumer outbound travel operators.
The fair was last held in 2019 and it attracted 1 500 companies from over 100 countries and a total of 250 000 visitors.
A total of 12 countries from the Southern African region will exhibit under the SADC banner and these include Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique, Mauritius, Angola and Tanzania.
Meanwhile international buyers are warming up to the 15th edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo to be held from October 13 to 15.
This year’s Expo is expected to attract over 100 international buyers.
Yunsuk Jin, a leading South Korean tour operator, confirmed that they had booked a pre-tour, which will see them visit Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Bulawayo and Harare. He said it was his hope that he will be able to explore the expo and sell Zimbabwe’s tourism products in his home country and Asia at large.
“We are attending Sanganai/Hlanganani as buyers and looking forward to meeting the rest of the world at this tourism exchange. Before 2019, as a company we used to bring about 3 000 South Korean tourists into the country and we hope to continue after this year’s edition of the expo. We want to enhance our knowledge and experience about destinations we have since booked to take part in a pre-tour that covers Bulawayo, Masvingo, the Eastern Highlands and Harare,” he said.
With a company that already has a presence in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Mr Jin said his company has an 80% market share of operators that bring tourists to Africa.
Kirsten Lebreux who works with an operator that specialises in custom tours all round the world said she was looking forward to seeing what the country has for tourists.
“Zimbabwe is one of my favourite places in the world and I am so excited at the opportunity to be at Sanganai/Hlanganani to reconnect with old friends and industry partners. I want to be able to pick as much information as possible and share it with friends and industry colleagues back at home,” Lebreux said.
