Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations (ZIPR) will for the first time commemorate Africa Communications Week in a bid to reposition Bulawayo as an ideal investment destination.
By Costa Nkomo
Africa Communications Week is a continental event that gathers premier professionals and thought leaders with the objective to amplify Africa’s economic transformation through strategic communication.
Speaking to 263Chat ahead of the commemorations, Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations Bulawayo Chapter President, Thandolwenkosi Nkomo said Bulawayo requires brand ambassadors to reconstruct the city’s appearance to would be investors.
“It thus the role of PR to shape public and international perceptions about a city or a country so that potential investors have a positive impression about that place. So PR certainly plays a facilitatory role when it comes to shaping impressions towards a city or a country or an investment destination,”
“Besides having a good economy, a city or country needs to have a good image and reputation, hence the general talk about destination branding Bulawayo as a city needs to have an image and reputation management strategy that positions the city as an investment destination,” said Nkomo.
The commemorations which runs under the theme; ‘The role of public relations and business news in positioning Bulawayo as an investment destination’ kicks off with a public discussion this Wednesday at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) American Space in the city centre.
Nkomo added that PR is an important tool for managing the image and reputation of organisations, institutions and even cities and countries hence their decision to commemorate the week in Bulawayo, which as for years suffered de-industrialization due to economic hardships facing the country.
“Such a strategy would involve telling stories about the potential for business enterprise in the city and doing activities that can take the name of the city to investors. This year we are only having a small function but in future we hope to have a bigger celebration,” said Nkomo.
