Chronicle Editor
Raymond Jaravaza, Showbiz Correspondent
IN a digitally fascinating and fast paced world that today’s young generation lives in, expecting them to take an interest in a career that involves long walks in the wild, guiding tourists through the country’s flora and fauna can certainly be a hard sell.
The country is a known and world acclaimed tourist destination that boasts of the famed Big Five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, buffalo and elephant –, breath taking scenery as well a diverse flora and fauna in its wild parks such as Gonarezhou and Hwange national parks.
A career in tour guiding – providing assistance, information on cultural, historical and wild life to tourists on organised tours and individual clients – has over the past decades been considered a distinguished career path.
But tour operators in Bulawayo are of the view that today’s youth are somewhat taking a dislike to a career in tour guiding.
A passionate wild life conservationist is taking a leading role in changing that perception.
Davies Muhambi says over the years he has taken an interest in visiting the country’s national parks as a way of unwinding from his busy lifestyle as a businessman and politician and is always amazed at the dwindling number of young people in tour guiding.
From that observation came the idea of enticing young people to take up tour guiding as a career with a quiz on anything cultural and wildlife related to be held at the Bulawayo History Museum today.
“The idea of the Last Guide Standing Quiz Contest came about as a way of encouraging young people to take up tour guiding as a career and is well supported by a number of Bulawayo based tour operators as well as the TD Muhambi Foundation.
“We are targeting aspiring Learners Professional Hunters Licence individuals who are the young people that are the future of tour guiding in the country. For anyone to operate as a tour guide in the country they must be accredited by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority but we decided to entice young people to consider tour guiding as a career by first taking part in the contest,” said Ashley Ndebele, a member of the organising team and spokesman for the TD Muhambi Foundation.- @RaymondJaravaza
Online Reporter