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Ellina Mhlanga
Sports Reporter
AS the country celebrates the tourism month, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation have come together to promote sports tourism in the country with a football tournament set for the National Sports Stadium today.
Today’s tournament is part of the various activities that are being held to celebrate the month of tourism and a build up to the main event that will take place on September 27 in Masvingo.
The World Tourism Day is celebrated globally every year on September 27.
The football event will be graced by the country’s football legends and four Under-18 teams picked from different academies.
This year’s celebrations are running under the theme “Rethinking Tourism.”
The matches will be played at the B Arena.
As a precursor to the tournament, the junior teams and a few of the legends had the opportunity to tour Mbuya Nehanda Statue, the Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences, the National Heroes Acre and the National Sports Stadium, to have a feel and appreciation of local tourism.
The tour was graced by Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister, Barbara Rwodzi.
Rwodzi said sport is key in promoting tourism.
“Our Ministry together with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation joined together to promote tourism through sports tourism.
“Sports tourism is one of our key activities line up during the month of September. We have other activities that have been going on within the Ministry in other provinces.
“This programme has afforded our football youngsters a special opportunity to meet with the prominent football legends of our time and also to have an appreciation of some tourist attractions within Harare Metropolitan province,” said Rwodzi.
She said they are hoping to see the initiative spreading to other provinces.
Some of the former football players that were part of the tour yesterday included Ephraim Mazarura and Mike Temwanjira and more legends are expected to join in today including Moses Chunga, Edward Sadomba and Dickson Choto.
Mazarura said the event presents them with an opportunity to mingle and share some tips with the youngsters.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for them to play tomorrow with us, as legends we will have time to discuss about football career wise and discipline when they are playing. So I think it’s a good thing done by the tourism guys for us to mingle with the young boys playing the tournament and us playing as legends, it’s a good thing for us.
“It was a good thing for me, I have never been there…so it was a good thing for me.” His academy Mopao Mazet Football Foundation is taking part in the tournament. They will be joined by DC Academy, Gimri and CSPRO Academy.
The legends will take on team tourism match that will be led by Rwodzi as head coach.
Some of the young footballers that were part of the tour yesterday said it was an exciting and eye-open adventure since it was their first time touring places like the National Heroes Acre.
“The tour was nice we discovered a lot, all thanks to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority for this chance.
“And this chance to play this tournament, it’s a big opportunity for us youngsters…Obviously it’s a great honour to learn from the legends so it’s nice,” said Mason Mhombera, who was part of the group.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority head corporate affairs, Godfrey Koti, said this is an opportunity for them to position and reposition destination Zimbabwe both to the local and the international.
Yesterday’s tour was also graced by officials from the two Ministries.
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