Let’s penetrate leading markets

has earned it various international accolades, has upped efforts to penetrate the international market.
Through an array of projects, the country dubbed as the “World of Wonders” in tourism circles has tirelessly made destination Zimbabwe recognisable.
That high-powered delegations have been sent to Germany, Russia and Seychelles this month alone, shows the country’s seriousness to market the new brand – “Zimbabwe a World of Wonders” – at a time when tourism has been identified as one of the major pillars of the country’s economic turnaround project.
The participation continues to ensure that Zimbabwe’s presence as a competent and safe African tourist destination remains etched in the minds of any discerning international tourist wholesaler and buyer.
The tourism tapestries are plenty and unmatched and what the international travel and tourism expositions do is add value to perception management as far as Zimbabwe is concerned.
It has remained largely an agreed fact that Zimbabwe has been unquestionable about its beauty and that the only issues that have tended to keep tourists at bay are perception issues.
As a destination, Zimbabwe has over the past decade been portrayed as an unsafe safe destination, yet covertly its neighbours have been marketing the Victoria Falls as if it is in their own countries.
For South Africa and many countries in the region, Victoria Falls have remained the ultimate and unavoidable cash cow, yet Zimbabwe has been portrayed as unsafe.
A Zimbabwean tourism team is represented the country in Berlin, Germany, at the world premier Travel and Tourism Travel show Internationale Tourismus Bourse that started on Wednesday and ends on Sunday.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority communications manager Sugar Chagonda says the delegation consists of Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, African Sun, Rainbow Tourism Group, Cresta Hospitality, Coordinating Zimbabwe, Khanondo Safaris, Showman Tours and Led Travel and Tours.
And in Moscow, Russia, Zimbabwe is participating at the 6th International Trade Fair for Travel and Tourism (Intourmarket) and Moscow International Travel and Tourism Fair (MITT) March 16-19.
The justification is that Russia and the CIS region have approximately 230 million people who speak the same language (Russian).
More prominent countries in this region, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Uzbekistan are amongst the fastest growing economies in the world.
These countries have, in the main strong resource bases in the form of oil, gas, coal, iron ore and steel production supported by very high education standards.
This gives them a high spending parity as compared to other countries. For Zimbabwe to successfully penetrate this market it needs to capture between 20 to 40 percent of the approximately 25 000 major tour operators.
However, awareness of the Southern Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular is very poor in these countries.
This has seen countries like South Africa appointing a tourism representative to have an edge over its competitors. Zimbabwe has to engage more promotional tactics to gain a sizeable market share.
Participation at prominent Travel and tourism shows is one sure way of tapping into this market.
Zimbabwe should certainly take advantage of these international travel expositions.
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