Chronicle Editor
Lenox Lizwi Mhlanga
THE success of any tourism marketing strategy should be a function of the political and economic and political stability of a market.
The two cannot be separated. Hence, developments in Zimbabwe that have seen changes in the political dispensation should give hope to the growth of what was once a very lucrative market.
A quick analysis of Zimbabwe as a tourist destination will reveal that for many years, it has largely relied on visitors from neighbouring South Africa.
However, instability that has acted as a curse to any headway in this sector has stifled growth for a country that has incomparable natural wonders and a very hospitable population.
The struggling economy has frustrated efforts at reviving a sector that in other countries in the world, has contributed immensely to growth in the shortest period of time.
Studies have also shown that for any tourism sector to succeed, it should be grounded in a strong domestic tourism product that will lead to international visitors yearning to experience what the locals are enjoying.
However, historical inequalities have made local tourism something of a luxury. Why travel the country when one can’t put food on the table, some ask. Yet that alone should not prevent those who can afford it to visit places of interest within their borders.
In fact should it not be a right, for people within the borders of a country to visit and appreciate the beauty of the country they live in? Should it not be part of government priorities to sponsor or subsidise programmes that will generate local interest in traveling and sightseeing?
Will that money be wasted if it were used to spur and lead to a boom in local travel industry? Rather than tour operators from neighbouring countries benefiting from what should be a national treasure trove? Money that should be retained within the country’s borders and not deposited in some offshore account and to who’s benefit?
The argument therefore, is that, investing in attracting international visitors when domestic tourism is weak is akin to putting the cart before the horse.
As I indicated earlier, tourism will always be a reflection of the economy in which it operates. When the economy is depressed, and there is insecurity, tourism suffers. Where there is trouble, money will flee. So is the case with tourists.
A recent study by Vitalis Basera concluded that while the marketing of local tourism products may have been embraced by tourism service providers, they were biased towards the international market than the domestic market.
“The service providers are using various marketing strategies in reaching the Zimbabwean tourist market, but there’s need to increase coverage that will see Kariba as a domestic destination known countrywide,” Basera wrote.
He also went on to mention that domestic tourism demand is being affected by a lack of discretionary income of locals which is also hindering them to travel because the majority are earning below the poverty datum line.
The study has also established that the progress of domestic tourism was being affected by lack of cooperation among stakeholders.
“The tourism players are actually competing (against) each other instead of collaborating to market the area together as nowadays, tourists are consuming destinations. The service providers also revealed that marketing costs are high which affect marketing of the destination to the locals,” Basera revealed.
According to the UNWTO, Tourism should be a force for good. Notably, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) recognises the role played by tourism in national development.
In a research paper, ZTA said that domestic tourism helped to maintain the sustainability of the country’s tourism industry by generating a tourism market able to continue travel despite lack of interest from foreign markets.
“It creates tourism awareness and a tourism culture within the country, providing the people with a greater understanding and appreciation of what their country has to offer. It also instils a sense of pride in its citizens.”
However, the tourism regulator acknowledged that while the benefits of domestic tourism must be highlighted, several constraints to the development of domestic tourism need to be addressed, as noted in Basera’s study.
“There’s still a significant resistance in many countries when it comes to the development of domestic tourism, so both the benefits and constraints of the sector must be looked into,” ZTA said.
Tourism is a key economic sector that has the potential to contribute towards economic growth and development. It is a service sector at the end of the value chain, which relies on the support of key enablers such as transport, information communication technologies and banking among others.
The Domestic Tourism Campaign which is being rolled out as part of the mandate given to ZTA will without doubt increase the awareness and the product knowledge of destination Zimbabwe among the locals.
Online Reporter