Isdore Guvamombe recently in DURBAN, South Africa
African countries should push domestic tourism and deal with pricing regimes before they can attract tourists from international source markets and tourist wholesalers, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority executive director for the National Conventions Bureau Mrs Tesa Chikaponya has said.

Addressing delegates attending the Indaba Africa Tourism and Travel exposition in Durban recently, Mrs Chikaponya said history had taught Zimbabwe during its political hiatus that lasted until the new political dispensation last November, that a powerful domestic tourism drive can be achieved.

She said Africa’s tourist organisations should push for a different pricing model for local and international tourists, with local tourists charged less to incentivise them to travel.

“We had an experience ourselves in Zimbabwe that domestic tourism is a very powerful tool for development. The pricing regime should acknowledge that local people have their own affordable charges so that they can also afford tourism,” she said.

“In order to inculcate a culture in Africa for our people to travel and enjoy, domestic tourism is the starting point. Tourism must be affordable to the local people. The locals can sustain an industry in times of trouble but we need to give them incentives.”

She said tourism stakeholders in Africa should come up with schemes that push domestic consumers.

“There must be many schemes such as fly now, pay later or visit now and pay later, for local people as a way of promoting domestic tourism,” she said to applause.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira is leading a delegation of 31 private tourism players to the indaba, which is Africa’s biggest expo.

Zimbabwe came to the indaba seeking to reclaim its tourism glory and to bring new business into the country in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for business”.

Isdore Guvamombe recently in DURBAN, South Africa
African countries should push domestic tourism and deal with pricing regimes before they can attract tourists from international source markets and tourist wholesalers, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority executive director for the National Conventions Bureau Mrs Tesa Chikaponya has said.

Addressing delegates attending the Indaba Africa Tourism and Travel exposition in Durban recently, Mrs Chikaponya said history had taught Zimbabwe during its political hiatus that lasted until the new political dispensation last November, that a powerful domestic tourism drive can be achieved.

She said Africa’s tourist organisations should push for a different pricing model for local and international tourists, with local tourists charged less to incentivise them to travel.

“We had an experience ourselves in Zimbabwe that domestic tourism is a very powerful tool for development. The pricing regime should acknowledge that local people have their own affordable charges so that they can also afford tourism,” she said.

“In order to inculcate a culture in Africa for our people to travel and enjoy, domestic tourism is the starting point. Tourism must be affordable to the local people. The locals can sustain an industry in times of trouble but we need to give them incentives.”

She said tourism stakeholders in Africa should come up with schemes that push domestic consumers.

“There must be many schemes such as fly now, pay later or visit now and pay later, for local people as a way of promoting domestic tourism,” she said to applause.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira is leading a delegation of 31 private tourism players to the indaba, which is Africa’s biggest expo.

Zimbabwe came to the indaba seeking to reclaim its tourism glory and to bring new business into the country in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for business”.