Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A TOTAL of 43 tourists from Europe are expected in Victoria Falls tomorrow on a tour of resorts in Zimbabwe and the whole of the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza).
According to an itinerary availed to Business Chronicle, out of the 43, eight are journalists from international media and tourism magazines while three are film makers.
The 43 are on a programme called Land Rover Experience-Kaza whose aim is to sample tourism resorts around the Kaza region.
Kaza is situated in a region of Southern Africa where the international borders of five countries Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge.
The group, which will be hosted by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Kaza officials here, set off from Namibia on Sunday.
They drove into Angola and Zambia and were yesterday expected to arrive in Botswana.
They will cross into Zimbabwe through the Kazungula Border point tomorrow and drive straight into Victoria Falls where a Press conference has been arranged for Friday.
While in Zimbabwe they will sample various resorts and activities in Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park, from where they will drive back into Botswana through the Hwange National Park before heading back to Namibia where the expedition will end on Thursday next week.
The main purpose of the tour is to showcase the Kaza region to the international market to promote cross border tourism products.
This comes at a time when Zimbabwe has embarked on a re-engagement drive to attract tourists into the country.
Tour operators and hoteliers are convinced the country is on a positive trajectory and hosting 43 international visitors in one tour, spending four nights is a huge boost for the industry.
“These will be our ambassadors when they go back to their countries,” said an operator.
Speaking at the just ended pre-budget seminar here, Acting Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu and the Minister of Information, Publicity and
Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa concurred that Zimbabwe needs robust marketing to attract more tourists.
“Let’s consider each one of us as a brand marketer for our country so we market Zimbabwe to the international world,” said Minister Ndlovu. — @ncubeleon
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