Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
THE Heritage Village at Liberation City will today host delegates attending the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit as Zimbabwe seeks to showcase its cultural heritage and tourism potential.
The COMESA Tourism Night will provide a platform to promote the country’s tourism and hospitality offerings to regional delegates attending the summit, which runs from October 19 to 22.
The summit is being held under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”.
Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK) chief executive officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi said the institution is pleased to welcome delegates to a destination that celebrates African identity and promotes cultural exchange.
“We are delighted to welcome our COMESA brothers and sisters to Heritage Village as Zimbabwe opens its doors to the region,” he said.
“Tourism, and indeed Heritage Village, allows people to encounter one another’s cultures, appreciate our heritage, and discover the many experiences our continent has to offer.
“We want our guests to experience Zimbabwe not only as a host of important regional meetings, but also as a destination of culture, hospitality and opportunity.”
Ambassador Muzawazi said tourism can support regional economic growth through job creation, investment and business development.
“Tourism is an important economic sector in its own right and a catalyst for growth across accommodation, transport, agriculture, creative industries and small businesses,” he said.
“For Zimbabwe and the COMESA region, developing our tourism potential means creating jobs, stimulating enterprise, attracting investment and encouraging greater movement of people across our borders.”
He said tourism should be recognised as a driver of inclusive economic development alongside efforts to strengthen trade and regional integration.
Heritage Village is an Afrocentric cultural and hospitality destination developed by INSTAK, the institution behind the Museum of African Liberation.
The facility hosts cultural experiences, conferences, exhibitions, corporate functions and leisure activities, with a focus on African heritage and cuisine.
It forms part of the broader Liberation City development, which includes the Museum of African Liberation, a project aimed at preserving and promoting Africa’s liberation history.
The Tourism Night comes as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its position as a regional tourism destination and use cultural heritage to attract visitors, promote investment and deepen regional ties.
