Expo Site Completion Now at 80 Percent
by BERNARD CHIKETO
FOR NEARLY two decades, Zimbabwe’s flagship tourism expo, Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel Expo, rotated among the usual suspects: Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls.
Last year, the script has changed. The 18th edition was hosted by the Eastern Highlands. Shifting both the global spotlight and the hosting dollars to Mutare.
Now, the 19th edition, set for September, will unfold in Masvingo—a province better known for its ancient stone ruins than its conference infrastructure.
That is however precisely the point.
The decision to devolve the event to provincial capitals is a deliberate application of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “leave no one behind” mantra, and a test of whether tourism dollars can be spread beyond the established circuit.
With less than a month to go, the Gymkhana Tourism Park—the main exhibition venue—is roughly 80% complete.
Officials are confident the remaining work, including a restaurant, bar, gastronomy hub, ZTA offices and a mini-stadium, will be ready for the September 9 opening.
A conference centre has been pencilled in for later, a nod to the long-term vision beyond the expo itself.
The infrastructure push extends beyond the park.
Masvingo Airport is being refurbished, roads are being upgraded, and the Great Zimbabwe Visitor Centre—where the welcome cocktail will be held—has been spruced up. These are not cosmetic touches.
The government hopes that post-expo, these assets will anchor a lasting tourism economy in a region that has long played second fiddle to Victoria Falls’ thundering cataracts.
Early numbers suggest the move is attracting interest.
Some 270 exhibitors have already registered, with a target of 450. International buyers number 129, from a projected 44 local ones, and participation is still climbing.
Notably, Australia will make its debut at Sanganai, following a Zimbabwean roadshow Down Under. Indian arrivals, too, have ticked up since the last expo in the Eastern Highlands—a sign that provincial exposure can translate into actual visitor flows.
Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who toured the sites with provincial affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira, framed the exercise as a strategic lever.
Masvingo sits astride the Cape-to-Cairo corridor, she noted, a route that could unlock investment in five-star hotels, conference centres and lodges. The expo, she argued, is not a one-off event but a catalyst for private-sector commitment.
Organisers are banking on the September Sports Tourism Carnival (1–4 September) and a street carnival on the 5th to build momentum before the main event.
But, the devolved model is not without risks.
Hosting a major international trade fair outside the traditional hubs strains logistics and accommodation. The province lacks the room stock of Harare or the Falls.
Whether Masvingo’s carrying capacity can match its heritage appeal remains an open question.
The presence of deputy minister Tongai Mnangagwa, permanent secretaries and local councillors underscores a whole-of-government approach—rare in a sector often marked by silos.
If the Gymkhana site is finished on time and the buyers arrive in force, Masvingo may yet prove that devolution is more than a slogan.
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