SIMBA RUSHWAYA
A Zimbabwean delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Priscah Mupfumira is in Berlin, Germany where they are on a crusade to lure tourists from that country and globally.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said the delegation is attending the 2019 International Tourism Bourse (ITB) which kicked off yesterday and ends on Sunday.
“Buoyed by the strong sentiment from the international market confirmed through endorsements by renowned travel guides and media houses which voted Zimbabwe as a top three tourism destination, the officials representing Zimbabwe are confident of making a strong statement on the country’s tourism products and its offerings to grow arrival statistics,” said ZTA in a statement.
A record 28 local tourism players are in Berlin where they are making a huge statement of intent through the massive uptake of exhibition space at the world’s largest travel show after securing 72 square metres, a significant improvement from last year where there were 15 exhibitors. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Djibouti and China have intensified efforts to concretise the Tour Africa-The New Horizon tourism programme, as the four countries launched the programme in Zheijang Province, China yesterday.
The programme is being championed by a Chinese company Touchroad International and will see Zimbabwe receiving 350 Chinese tourists every month from this month end.
Touchroad International, working in conjuction with the Zheijang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism as well as the Zheijang Radio and TV group announced the “Tour Africa- the New Horizon” tourism project will see a chartered flight with over 300 tourists, leading travel agencies and media houses visiting Destination Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe attracted more than 2,4 million tourist arrivals in 2017, a 12 percent increase from the previous year which was attributed to the country’s safe and peaceful environment.
In the first quarter of 2018, the country received increased arrivals with, for example, Victoria Falls registering over 17 000 arrivals from a baseline of 8 000 in air traffic arrivals at the Victoria Falls International Airport from January to April.
It represented a 48 percent increase in arrivals compared to the same period in 2017.
