The latest in the respected, high-profile Spotlight On Africa international travel trade show series, hosted and arranged by Houston Marketing of South Africa, takes place in Harare tomorrow, Tuesday April 26.
Operators in Zimbabwe’s travel and tourism sector are being invited to attend the event, and to link with incoming exhibitors, with a focus on outbound travel from Zimbabwe, inbound travel to the country and also in the area of domestic tourism. It is of particular interest to tour operators and travel agents, but will be of value to all other sector operators, too.
Derek Houston, founder of both Houston Marketing and the Spotlight On Africa expos, will be at the show, which will take place in Meikles Hotel’s Stewart Rooms from 9am to 12 noon.
“This is aimed at increasing product knowledge and interaction between operators who are exhibiting at the event and the many travel trade personalities from within Zimbabwe who will be attending.,” he said.
“It is not a show for the general public, but is a focused event for the travel and tourism sector here in Zimbabwe and we look forward to good attendance levels from people from across the trade.”
The first Spotlight On Africa was held in 2000, designed to sell destination Africa as a whole to markets within Africa and across the world. Over the past 16 years, Houston Marketing has grown its portfolio of travel trade workshops under The Spotlight brand, with 30 regular trade workshops sessions held annually in Africa and Europe.
“Spotlight workshops are now held annually in many European cities, as well as in African cities such as Harare, Lusaka, Gaborone, Windhoek, Nairobi, Kampala, Addis Ababa and Maputo,” said Mr Houston.
International co-operation and shared marketing are keys to Zimbabwe’s future success in travel and tourism development, at a time when operators are trying to fulfil the ambition of Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi to create a $5 billion tourism economy in Zimbabwe by 2020.