ZITF starts next year preps

THE Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) has embarked on an infrastructure development programme to prepare for next year’s jubilee celebrations.
ZITF marketing executive Moses Chitoshi said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that infrastructure development has been a major challenge for the institution in the recent past.
Mr Chitoshi said the ZITF wants to ensure that it prepares adequately for the big event next year.
He said the current infrastructure in the trade fair ground has dilapidated hence its decision to embark on an early infrastructure development.
“We are still making the budget for the costs on infrastructure development in the trade fair ground but it will be concluded before November,” he said.
Mr Chitoshi said the institution is also looking for partners to help build new modern structures in the trade fair grounds.
He said ZITF has adequate land within the grounds where new structures can be put up.
Mr Chitoshi said the ZITF wants to ensure that it makes business meaningful for its stakeholders during next year’s event.
“We want to revive our place and possibly be able to have more than one show in any particular year so that we can raise more money to continue with our infrastructure development,” Mr Chitoshi said.
He said ZITF has also written to all the companies who have leased structures in the grounds to renovate their structures or rebuild them so that the entire place can be upgraded.
“We do not want to panic at the last minute like what happened this year. We want to make next year’s event memorable because it will be our 50th celebrations,” he said.
Mr Chitoshi said next year’s ZITF starts on June 25 to July 2, 2014 and the theme is ‘show-casing 50 years of business transformation and development’.
He said a number of activities have also been lined up for next year’s event among them a business seminar where the institution intends to invite international economist Dambisa Moyo.