adminIsdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix
It is a fact not fiction, that Zimbabwe’s footprints in the world tourism family are fast becoming ineffaceable.
The country, through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is striking the right codes. Last month’s successful hosting of the Harare International Carnival, undoubtedly one of Africa’s biggest street party and the recent agreement with neighbouring Zambia to implement a Uni-Visa regime, depict progressive thinking and strategic marketing, promotion and development of our national tourism brand, Zimbabwe a World of Wonders.
Endowed with a multifarious array of man-made tourist attractions and those sired by natural phenomena, Zimbabwe has of late, made serious in-roads not only in marketing its tourism tapestries but also in making the destination safe and highly accessible.
That Zimbabwe was able to host revellers who attended the Harare International Carnival from 25 countries without incident, is in itself, telling the world that we are a safe tourist destination.
Furthermore, that Zimbabwe has decided to implement, with its neighbour Zambia, a Uni-Visa system that will make it easy for tourists to access these two countries with one entry, shows a serious commitment to enabling tourists to visit our tourist attractions without much unnecessary complications and delays.
The world over, it has become common practice for tourist wholesalers to do regional packaging and in the case of Sadc region, visa regimes have been very restrictive and retrogressive.
Hence, Zimbabwe and Zambia have set the pace for regional tourism promotion and integration.
It is the best thing to have happened between the two countries, of late and there is no doubt that it should inspire all Sadc countries to follow suit.
These two events, coming in the background of last year’s co-hosting, with Zambia, of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly in Victoria Falls, the first ever such high profile UN event in Southern Africa, has sent Zimbabwe’s tourism message to the world clearly. Zimbabwe is there to make it big in the world tourism family!
Zimbabweans in their broad totality should be proud of the successful hosting of Harare International Carnival.
The footprints on the world tourism family are indeed indelible.
We have done it!
Let us cherish and celebrate our diversity. – Zimtravel June 2014 issue.
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Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter