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Herald Reporters
As the festive season fast approaches and an influx of visitors expected, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has been backing the ZIMBHO campaign meant for Zimbabweans to visit the country’s tourist centres.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi launched the festive season domestic tourism campaign dubbed ZIMBHO–Uripi in Binga, Matabeleland North, last week.
Last Friday, the campaign was taken to Hwedza District, Mashonaland East.
The overall goal of the festive season domestic campaign is to drive economic growth through encouraging Zimbabweans, including those living in the diaspora to travel within Zimbabwe this festive season to have a feel of local attraction centres.
The ZIMBHO campaign feeds into the target of turning tourism into a US$5 billion economy by 2025 in line with the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy.
In remarks read on her behalf by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Takaruza Munyanyiwa, Minister Rwodzi said the primary objective of the campaign was to show it was critical for Zimbabweans to promote local tourism.
“For the campaign to achieve tangible results, we have set multifaceted strategic objectives,” said Minister Rwodzi. “These objectives aim to foster a travel culture in our citizens, promote various clusters of tourism such as excursions, rural, sports, and religious tourism, thus unlocking the incredible potential of domestic tourism, hence boosting our economy.
“Through this campaign our primary objective is to promote local tourism and instil a culture of travelling among our fellow citizens. We want to encourage the Zimbabwe diaspora community, as well as the Zimbabwean local community which would have typically sought vacations beyond our borders, to explore the wonders of our own nation.”
If Zimbabweans started visiting their own tourist attractions, that would feed into President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa igonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo”.
Minister Rwodzi said the positioning statement for the campaign was “Holiday in Zimbabwe, Holiday at Home”, which is accompanied by the tagline, “Every journey leads you home”.
She said Zimbabwe had a remarkable array of attractions and activities that appeal to both the domestic and international markets.
“It is crucial for locals and the diaspora alike to recognise Zimbabwe as a premier destination of choice,” said Minister Rwodzi.
“Our nation is rich in history and heritage, blessed with breath-taking landscapes, teeming with wildlife, and offering a wide variety of tourism products.
“We see immense potential for different domestic market segments including families, couples, friends, and religious communities to indulge in and enjoy Zimbabwe’s tourism offering this festive season.
“The possibilities are endless, from embarking on daily excursions, visiting various attractions, engaging in different tourism activities, savouring our local gastronomy, partaking in relaxation and recreation activities, and visiting friends and relatives in different parts of the country.”
Traditionally, Zimbabweans have used the festive season as an opportunity to visit loved ones in various parts of the country, participating in family traditions, cultural activities, and experiencing the unique ambiance of growth points.
In her remarks, Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Aplonia Munzverengwi said the #URIPI #UNGHAPI tourism campaign was aimed at promoting local tourism and inculcating a culture of travel among locals within Zimbabwe.
“We need every Zimbabwean to be aware that tourism is not only for the perceived elites, or the rich and affluent, but every citizen can be a tourist,” she said.
“Our economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1, emphasises on inclusivity and this campaign aims to ensure everyone is included in mainstream tourism, leaving no one and no place behind.
“We are saying, every road leads you home this festive season. There are so many places of interest in our surroundings that we are encouraging you to take time to visit and enjoy with your families this festive season.”
For instance, in Hwedza there is probably the country’s biggest hidden treasures, the Makurumure Falls and the Mhakwe Caves, a place that holds significant cultural value.
Minister Munzverengwi said people can spend time with families at such places doing scenic tours, picnics, braais and photo shoots.
“The launching of the domestic tourism festive season campaign here in Hwedza today marks the beginning of a new era and culture for Hwedza district and the province at large,” she said.
“We want to see tourism as a game-changer in developing this area to a most preferred tourist destination. Tourism is one of the key economic pillars of the province due to its immense contribution to GDP. The sector has so much potential in terms of employment levels and revenue generation.”
Mashonaland East had witnessed a growth in tourism investments, particularly in the accommodation sector, which enables the province to host overnight visitors.
With more tourists now visiting Mashonaland East, there is hope that the sector will contribute to provincial Gross Domestic Product.
Minister Munzverengwi said they have several tourism products ranging from cultural, historical, wildlife, man-made and natural, some of which are yet to be developed.
If all those products are strategically developed, collectively packaged and aggressively marketed, Minister Munzverengwi believes visitors will lengthen the stay in the province, with benefits trickling down to the grassroots.
Hwedza North constituency legislator Advocate Itai Ndudzo (Zanu PF) said the domestic tourism drive was welcome.
“I have tried to lead by example in Wedza North by building a modern model home which can host anyone from anywhere in the world. We must all be proud of where we come from,” said Adv Ndudzo.
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