Vusumuzi DubeSimba Jemwa, Online Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has urged Bulawayo-based content producers, creatives and other stakeholders to produce content to promote the region and use social media to promote a positive image of the upcoming Hlanganani/Sanganai World Tourism Expo.
The tourism showpiece will be held in the city at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair between 13 and 15 October with at least 250 industry players expected to participate.
Speaking on the sidelines of a media briefing held at Cresta Churchill Hotel on Tuesday, ZTA Head of Corporate Affairs Mr Godfrey Koti said the expo needed “all hands-on deck” to make it not only a trade success, but also to encourage and develop tourism destinations in the region.
Mr Koti said Bulawayo and the entire Matabeleland region is abound with talented creatives and content producers who have the skills to identify and market the many tourism opportunities in the region.
“In this part of the country we have many creatives and content producers who can and should promote the tourist destinations that are dotted around the region. As the ZTA, we urge them to use their skill sets to improve the image of not just the region but the country at large as we head into Hlanganani/Sanganai,” urged Mr Koti.
“The ZTA believes that creatives, content producers and the various other stakeholders must endeavour to find innovative means to engage with the world at large via positive content production and social media.
“In this age of new media and the advent of social platforms such as YouTube and social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, play a critical role and Destination Zimbabwe see it a vital cog in promoting Destination Zimbabwe,” Mr Koti said.
“The ZTA believes that websites of creatives, content producers and industry players alike should be made interactive and user-friendly. Mobile applications and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. should be harnessed as a quick and cost effective medium for tourism marketing,” Mr Koti added.
“In the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy, digital marketing was identified as a key pillar in achieving total recovery. It is necessary that we recognise it for what it is and hence we are making this call to new media practitioners and creatives to propel this agenda. Anyone who is traveling now interreacts with Brand Zimbabwe online and it is critical to be present there with good compelling content,” Mr Koti said.
The ZTA called on locals to proactively leverage the potential of social media in marketing and promotion of the region, Hlanganani/Sanganai and the country at large, both in the domestic as well as in the overseas markets.
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Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter