adminZimbabwe Tourism Authority head of corporate communications Mr Sugar Chagonda said connecting flights were deterring visitors from coming to Zimbabwe.
“Travellers flying to Harare spend long hours waiting for connecting flights and on stopovers,” he said.
“Such inconveniences deter tourists as they are not prepared to spend long hours travelling,” he said.
Mr Chagonda said in the 1990s over 40 airplanes flew to Zimbabwe but the number has since dropped significantly to around 14 at the moment.
“That in itself is an indication of a significant drop in the number of tourists coming into the country,” he said.
“We must understand the ripple effects of having a strong tourism industry in this country,’’ he said.
He said stakeholders needed to understand that the people who came as tourists came back as investors. This follows massive marketing of the country as a safe destination.
Zimbabwe is expecting large numbers of tourists during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly which it will co-host with Zambia in August this year. – New Ziana
Online Reporter