Chronicle Editor
THE Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) have launched a campaign to encourage Zimbabweans to visit the country’s tourists destinations this coming festive season as part of efforts to boost domestic tourism.
The Domestic Tourism Festive Season Campaign — ZIMBHO was launched in Masvingo at the weekend by the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi.
The campaign which is running under the theme: “Every journey leads you home”, started on 6 November and ends on 15 January.
Through the campaign Dubbed# Uripi, the Tourism Ministry and ZTA are encouraging locals to sample the various tourism products offered by tourism players across the country.
Addressing guests at the launch of the campaign, Minister Rwodzi urged Zimbabweans to prioritise exploring the scenic splendour of their country to promote domestic tourism as opposed to going on holiday in other countries.
“Zimbabweans including those in the diaspora, should lead in consuming local tourism products offered at the different tourists destinations across the country,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said foreigners were enjoying Zimbabwe’s tourism products in tourists destinations such as Masvingo where there is Gonarezhou National Park and Great Zimbabwe Monuments among other attractions.
Minister Rwodzi said it was time Zimbabweans contributed to the growth of their tourism industry as what is happening in countries like China where the bulk of tourists are locals.
The tourism players on their part should come up with special packages to entice locals to consume their products.
In 2020 in a bid to revive the tourism industry which was among the worst hit by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism players offered discounted accommodation rates and fees for tourism activities to locals in a bid to boost domestic tourism.
Following the outbreak of the pandemic which restricted international travel, the tourism industry realised that it could not depend entirely on international tourists hence the need to promote domestic tourism.
The packages which were offered in 2020 should therefore be made permanent in order to encourage locals to visit our tourists destinations.
In 2020 in an effort to attract locals to visit and spend quality time at their facilities, some hotels and lodges offered discounted rates for accommodation and other tourism activities.
In some cases hotels slashed rates from US$200 a room per night to as little as US$50 in a bid to attract locals. The reduction this time around could probably not be that much but there is a need to ensure locals enjoy reduced rates.
Domestic tourism has been neglected over the years and there is therefore a need to go all out to promote it.
Online Reporter