Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube – [email protected]
TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa this morning made a ceremonial tee-off at the Elephant Hills Golf Course in Victoria Falls, to traditionally kick-start the 2024 Sterling Group International Pairs Golf Tournament National Finals.
More than 120 amateur golfers from across the country are expected to participate at the tournament for a chance to progress to the World Finals in Tenerife, Spain sent month.
Sterling Group of Hotels are sponsoring the tournament in partnership with Albatross Golf Safaris and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) with the sporting event coming in as one of the activities aimed at drumming up the brand Zimbabwe campaign, and complementing the Vision 2030 dive.
The tournament seeks to promote sportsmanship, talent and tourism within Zimbabwe, by offering amateur golfers the chance to compete on a world stage and is open to golfers from 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s clubs, making it the largest pairs tournament in the world.
Over 30 qualifying events were played all over the country with a total of 1 385 golfers taking part, drawn mostly from social and recreational golfers who make up 95 percent of the total golfing population in Zimbabwe.
A prize giving ceremony is set for this evening when the winner will be announced.
Among the objectives of the tournament is to promote domestic tourism through sport, promote brand Zimbabwe campaign internationally, give amateur social golfers an opportunity to participate at international level, boost revenue for clubs, and create linkages in the tourism value chain.
Explaining the tournament, Albatross Golf Safaris chief executive Sheperd Huni who is a local representative for the International Pairs said it not only rubber-stamps Victoria Falls as a destination but as a unique selling point.
“People must come to Victoria Falls just to play golf,” he said.
The Elephant Hills Golf Course is unique in that golfers interact with wildlife such as warthogs, baboons, impalas, kudus, crocodiles and sometimes elephants and buffaloes in the course.
Sterling Group of Hotels managing directors Shaurai Manyika said: “As Sterling Group of Hotels we are very much excited to be in this tournament to promote domestic tourism and also sports tourism as we enjoy our magnificent environment that we have in Zimbabwe. We look forward to a very great day today.”
Dep Minister Mnangagwa thanked the organisers for the event.
“I can officially say the International Pairs has begun and we await to see the winner. The event will help promote tourism. Just for these two days we are looking at about US$200 000 spent by people who have come and occupancy in the rooms has risen. In the long run we are saying we want to push domestic tourism as people move to play golf,” said Dep Minister.
—@ncubeleon
Online Reporter