Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Government says it will introduce higher parking fees and shuttle services during this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) and bar motorists from driving into the exhibition area.
In an interview with NewsDay, the Industry and Commerce Ministry’s permanent secretary, Thomas Utete Wushe, said this will be done to encourage people to walk in the showgrounds as well as reduce the carbon footprint. Said Wushe:
We do not want to use too much driving. We are going to be promoting the use of shuttle services so that people shuttle to and from hotels.
That will help in two ways. One, it would relieve our parking demand. And number two; it will reduce the carbon footprint at the ZITF venue.
The other thing is we are going to be encouraging people to walk within the showgrounds. Very few vehicles will be allowed to drive into the exhibition area so that people walk. So, if you go there, you can enjoy the show.
What we want to do is to discourage people from driving into the venue leading to shortages of parking. We want people to use shuttles or even walk to the venue.
The 2024 ZITF will run from April 23 to 27 at the ZITF Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
This 64th exhibition will run under the theme, “Innovation the Catalyst to Industrialisation and Trade”.
This year’s trade showcase was initially set to be held under the theme: “Entrepreneurship: The Catalyst for Industrialisation and Trade” before it was changed to “Innovation the Catalyst to Industrialisation and Trade.”
Explaining the change in a statement on Thursday last week, ZITF board chairperson Busisa Moyo said it is meant to accommodate the broadened focus of the event. Moyo said:
This theme also recognises that Zimbabwe currently boasts a vibrant and growing innovation scene, largely because of government initiatives as espoused in the guiding Vision 2030 whose focus is on promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, equitable development and prosperity for all.
We are also cognizant of the vital role that innovation plays not only in driving industrialisation and trade but also in ensuring a sustainable future for our planet.
By focusing on innovative solutions, we aim to equip businesses with the tools and strategies they need to thrive in an ever-evolving global landscape.
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