‘Coordinated approach key to tourism recovery’

Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has called for coordinated approaches in bringing about business recovery in the travel and leisure sector, which has been severely crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The adoption of tight Covid-19 lockdown measures since March last year has left the tourism sector counting losses, as international and domestic travel almost ground to a halt.

While the Government recently relaxed lockdown measures to allow domestic travel and re-opening of businesses, regional and international travel, which is the backbone of the sector’s earnings, remains constrained.

“For us as the Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, this calls for a coordinated approach for revival of the tourism economy,” says ZTA acting chief executive, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi.

“Let us continue to reach out to potential visitors through tourism campaigns to make them aware of what is important right now as well as continue to tell again of the seven wonders of our own world, for when all this is over, we shall travel again.”

Mr Chidzidzi expressed the sector’s sentiments in the recently issued first edition of the 2021 ZTA Newsletter. He noted that the year 2020 and the last two months of this year, have been the worst period for tourism not only in Zimbabwe, but the world over.

“Countries are still battling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic which has continuously resulted in global travel restrictions,” he said.

“The outlook for the tourism sector is seemingly unclear as the pandemic according to health experts is mutating. However, we remain hopeful with the vaccination rollout programmes underway as we work towards getting ready for a life post Covid 19.”

Mr Chidzidzi said the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), through the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, recently held deliberations during the 113th executive council meeting to advance plans to restart tourism.

“The UNWTO asserts that the various Covid-19 vaccinations are opening an important phase in the fight against the pandemic and to the promotion of safe resumption of international travel,” he said.

“This obviously is within the framework of the international health regulations, which includes but not limited to, vaccination certificates, applications of digital technology to enable safe international travel facilitating arrivals and departures among other safety guidelines.”