The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Thursday, October 19, 1995 — The forthcoming Zimbabwe International Trade Fair’s annual pre-Christmas shopping exhibition, Intershop, will for the first time incorporate three other shows making the event the biggest ever, according to the organisers.

Apart from being the traditional cottage industry shopwindow, Intershop 1995 will incorporate a floral extravaganza, safari exhibition and motor car show.

The three-day event, to be held at the ZITF showgrounds in Bulawayo, starts from November 24.

ZITF assistant general manager, Mr Daniel Chigaru, said the additional three shows this year were indicative of the importance being attached to the annual consumer fair by the public.

Intershop, which started in the early 1980s as a Christmas bazaar for Bulawayo residents, has grown over the years assuming an international outlook with the participation of foreign exhibitors.

“There is a lot of support which is growing from outside our borders. Intershop has now grown from what it was earlier, for instance last year we occupied only two halls while this year we will be occupying five halls,” Mr Chigaru said.

He said 290 bookings had been made so far for this year’s Intershop event compared to 187 bookings last year. While South African companies were the only foreign exhibitors last year, Mr Chigaru said more foreign companies would be coming this year from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Singapore.

Mr Chigaru said the exhibits would comprise an assortment of household items, clothing, plants and gifts accessories.

He said the floral extravaganza which was being organised by various Bulawayo floral groups, had attracted exhibitors from as far afield as South Africa. A total of 185 visitors, mounted by 67 exhibitors, would be on display. The exhibitors would also carry out flower arrangements during the fair, which would be conducted by two leading South African florists Mrs Daphine Dooley and mrs little Kritzinger and Mrs Bets mussel of Zimbabwe.